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Bowl of chicken soup with shredded chicken, sliced carrot, celery and herbs in a golden broth

Miss K's Hug in a Bowl Chicken Soup

A comforting homemade chicken soup filled with tender shredded chicken, sweet vegetables, and little pasta pieces, the kind of soup that feels like a warm hug and somehow fixes everything for a little while.
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Course: Soup
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Olive oil
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 4–5 cloves garlic minced
  • 1.5–2 L chicken stock
  • Water if needed
  • 4–5 carrots chunky chopped
  • 1 whole chicken room temperature, skin on
  • Optional: extra chicken legs or thighs for an even richer soup
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ½ celery sliced (stalks only)
  • Kernels from 2 corn cobs optional
  • ½–⅔ cup macaroni or small pasta noodles
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • Small squeeze fresh lemon juice about 1–2 tsp

Method
 

  1. Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large soup pot.
    Add the onion and cook slowly until deeply golden with sticky brown bits forming on the bottom of the pot. This step builds the richness of the soup.
    Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
    Deglaze the pot with a splash of chicken stock, scraping up all the caramelised flavour from the bottom.
  2. Add:
    • chunky chopped carrots
    • remaining chicken stock
    Place the whole chicken into the pot.
    Add extra chicken legs or thighs if using.
    Top up with water if needed so the chicken is mostly covered.
    Season with:
    • salt
    • pepper
    • dried mixed herbs
    • bay leaves
    Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer.
  3. Simmer until the chicken is very tender and falling away from the bone.
    While the soup cooks, add:
    • sliced celery
    • corn kernels if using
    Allow everything to soften and flavour the broth.
  4. Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and let it cool enough to handle.
    Pull all the meat from the carcass and shred into bite-sized pieces.
    Take your time checking carefully for bones and cartilage before returning the meat to the soup.
  5. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
    Add:
    • macaroni or pasta noodles
    Cook until the pasta is tender. Avoid adding too much pasta, as it continues absorbing liquid while sitting.
    Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
    Stir through:
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 1–2 tsp fresh lemon juice
    The lemon should not make the soup taste lemony — it simply brightens and lifts the broth.
    Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  6. Serve piping hot with:
    • crusty buttered bread
    • or a golden cheese toastie

Notes

If you can resist, let the soup sit for a little while before serving, or even better, overnight. The broth becomes richer, the flavours deepen, and somehow it tastes even more like a hug in a bowl the next day.
Freeze leftovers in portions for easy future meals, it reheats beautifully and makes the perfect comforting "food bank" for sick days, busy weeks, or whenever you need a hug in a bowl.