12 Easy Chicken Soup Recipes for When You Are Sick (October 2026)

These 12 easy chicken soup recipes for when you are sick all cook in one pot, use short ingredient lists, and go from cutting board to bowl without a second trip to the store. Most take 30 to 45 minutes, and every one tells you what to do if you have nothing but a rotisserie chicken and a carton of broth on hand.

Soup is the sick-day default for a reason. Hot liquid keeps you hydrated when you do not feel like drinking anything, the steam eases a stuffed nose, and cooked chicken and soft vegetables are easy on a stomach that has stopped cooperating. What follows is the full set, from the plain classic that even a feverish kid will accept to ginger-heavy and creamy versions for when you can handle more flavor. If you want a different angle, I also pulled together 12 easy soup recipes for cozy one-pot meals to browse alongside these.

12 Easy Chicken Soup Recipes for When You Are Sick at a Glance

Recipe	Time	Difficulty	Best for
1. Classic Chicken and Rice Soup	40 minutes	Easy	The one to make first, plain broth and no dairy
2. Soothing Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup	30 minutes	Easy	Sore throat and nausea
3. Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup	35 minutes	Easy	Day two, when your appetite returns
4. Creamy Chicken Potato Soup	45 minutes	Easy	Chills, and anyone who wants something thick
5. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup	45 minutes	Easy	Congestion, with steam and thyme
6. Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup	8 hours, hands-off	Easy	Caretakers cooking while you rest
7. Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder	40 minutes	Medium	Kids and picky eaters
8. Greek-Inspired Lemon Chicken Rice Soup	35 minutes	Easy	A light, bright-tasting bowl
9. Cozy Chicken Mushroom Soup	40 minutes	Medium	Deep flavor, low effort
10. Chicken Tomato Basil Soup	40 minutes	Easy	Avoiding dairy, using canned tomatoes
11. Healthy Chicken Sweet Potato Soup	45 minutes	Easy	Gluten free and filling
12. Ginger Chicken Rice Soup	35 minutes	Easy	Cold, congestion, and nausea

1. Classic Chicken and Rice Soup

This is the version I make when I am the sick one, because it needs almost no chopping skill and I already have cooked chicken somewhere in the fridge. Long-grain rice gives the broth a gentle body without turning it into porridge, which matters when your stomach is already complaining.

Yield: 6-8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 12 ounces
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed under cold water
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 fresh thyme sprig
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring twice, until the onion looks soft and translucent at the edges.
3. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 seconds, until the garlic smells fragrant and not burned.
4. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
5. Add the rinsed rice, stir once, and reduce the heat to a steady simmer.
6. Simmer partially covered for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the vegetables are soft enough to cut with the back of a spoon.
7. Turn off the heat and stir in the shredded chicken and parsley.
8. Season with salt and pepper, then add the lemon juice if you want a brighter bowl.

Tip: Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear keeps the broth from turning cloudy and slightly gluey.

Swap it: Use leftover chicken from chicken fried rice night, or switch the rice for 1/2 cup of ditalini pasta cooked in the broth for the last 8 minutes.

Storage: Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days and reheat on the stove over medium-low heat with a splash of broth. Freezes for up to 3 months, though the rice softens a little more each time it is reheated.

2. Soothing Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

Lemon and orzo make this taste lighter than it has any right to, and the little pasta is much easier to swallow than long noodles when your throat hurts. I add the lemon at the very end so the juice stays fresh and sharp rather than turning bitter in the heat.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: 30 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta, about 9 ounces
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 2 cups baby spinach leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a wide pot and soften the carrot and onion for 6 minutes, until the edges look golden.
2. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the broth and bring to a full boil.
4. Stir in the orzo and simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so the pasta does not catch on the bottom.
5. The orzo is done when it is tender and you can see a pale center in one piece, about 9 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat, then stir in the chicken, spinach, and dill.
7. Let the spinach wilt for about a minute, stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: Taste the orzo at the 8-minute mark. It keeps cooking in the residual heat, and overcooked orzo turns to paste fast.

Swap it: Small ditalini or acini di pepe hold their texture even better. For a dairy-free bowl, skip the butter some orzo boxes contain and use olive oil.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Because orzo softens as it sits, freeze the broth and orzo separately if you plan ahead, then drop the pasta into the boiling soup for the last 6 minutes.

3. Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Tortilla soup is the recipe to save for day two, when you can sit up and want something that tastes like a treat. Everything mild goes in the pot, and the heat lives entirely in the toppings, so you control how spicy the bowl actually is.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: 35 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, mild
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 8 corn tortillas, cut into strips
• 1 lime juiced, divided

For serving (mild, add as you like)

• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Hot salsa, optional and separate

Instructions

1. Cook the onion and carrot in the oil for 6 minutes, then add the garlic, cumin, and chili powder for 30 seconds.
2. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the black beans, corn, and chicken.
4. Simmer for another 5 minutes, until the broth tastes rounded and the vegetables are tender.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in half the lime juice.
6. Warm the tortilla strips in a dry skillet for 30 seconds per side until crisp, then crush them coarsely.
7. Serve with the avocado, cheese, cilantro, and remaining lime. Add hot salsa at the table only.

Tip: Toast the tortillas separately rather than dropping them in the pot. Soft tortillas sink to the bottom and make the broth cloudy.

Swap it: Fresh corn and black beans freeze well, so double the batch and freeze the soup without the tortillas. For more ideas on this style, browse 10 easy tortilla soup recipes for weeknights.

Storage: 3 to 4 days refrigerated, and up to 3 months frozen. Keep the avocado out until serving, or it turns brown and mushy in the reheated soup.

4. Creamy Chicken Potato Soup

When the shivers start, this is the bowl I want: thick, warm, and starchy enough to count as a meal. It contains milk and butter, so skip it if dairy tends to make you queasy right now.

Yield: 6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes · Total: 45 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, plus more to finish
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, optional
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 7 minutes, until the vegetables look soft and glossy.
2. Add the potatoes, broth, and thyme and bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, until a potato slides off a fork with no resistance.
4. Mash about half the potatoes against the side of the pot with a spoon, leaving the rest in chunks. This is what thickens the soup.
5. Stir in the cream and the shredded chicken.
6. Warm through for 3 minutes without boiling, then season with salt and pepper.
7. Finish each bowl with a swirl of cream, scallions, parsley, and bacon if you used it.

Tip: Add the cream off the heat. Boiling dairy soup can separate, and once that happens no amount of stirring brings it back.

Swap it: Swap the cream for 1/2 cup of milk plus a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with cold water, or leave it out entirely and let the mashed potatoes do the work. That version is dairy free.

Storage: Refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Potatoes continue to absorb broth, so add a splash of water or broth when reheating. Freeze for up to 3 months, and expect a slightly thicker texture once thawed.

5. Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the soup I grew up with, and it is the version that still works when everything else sounds like too much. Egg noodles give it more body than rice, and the pot of steam does real work on a blocked nose. For more versions, I keep 10 easy chicken noodle soup recipes from scratch in my bookmarks too.

Yield: 6-8 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes · Total: 45 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, sliced into half-moons
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 12 ounces
• 3 cups wide egg noodles, about 6 ounces, broken into shorter pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a large pot and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 7 minutes, until the onion is soft and the carrots look bright and tender at the edges.
2. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
3. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add the broken egg noodles and stir once so they do not clump.
5. Simmer uncovered for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are soft and the carrots bend easily when pressed with a spoon.
6. Stir in the chicken, dill, and pepper and let it warm through for 3 minutes.
7. Taste and add salt a teaspoon at a time until the broth tastes seasoned, not salty.

Tip: Break the noodles into short pieces before they go in. Long noodles are hard to eat with a spoon and they tangle more the next day.

Swap it: Egg noodles contain wheat and egg. Use rice noodles for a gluten free bowl, or swap the broth for bone broth if you have it, which adds body and a deeper flavor.

Storage: Refrigerate up to 3 to 4 days. Noodles keep absorbing liquid, so add broth when reheating. For the best reheated texture, cook fresh noodles for leftovers and drop them in only during the reheat.

6. Slow Cooker Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is the recipe for the caregiver. Everything goes into the crockpot in the morning, and eight hours later there is enough soup for several people without anyone having to stand up and stir. Chicken thighs stay tender through a long cook, which is the whole point here.

Yield: 6-8 servings · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: 7-8 hours on low, or 4-5 hours on high · Total: 8 hours, hands-off · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, cut into thick chunks
• 3 celery stalks, cut into thick chunks
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for serving
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a skillet and brown the onion, carrots, and celery for 6 minutes. This step is optional but it builds real flavor.
2. Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker along with the chicken thighs, potatoes, broth, herbs, and bay leaves.
3. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 to 5 hours.
4. Check that the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part before you shred it. If it is not there yet, give it another 30 minutes.
5. Shred the chicken with two forks directly in the pot and stir in the peas.
6. Cover and cook for 15 more minutes on high so the peas soften.
7. Fish out the bay leaves, season with salt and pepper, and scatter with parsley.

Tip: Cook on low rather than high. A fast boil makes the chicken edges tough, which is the opposite of what a sore throat needs.

Swap it: Add a cup of frozen corn or diced potatoes at the end instead of at the start, so they keep their shape. You can also find more hands-off options in 10 easy crockpot soup recipes with chicken and vegetables.

Storage: Cool the soup in shallow containers within 2 hours, then refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days. It freezes well for 3 months, though the potatoes turn a little grainy when thawed.

7. Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder

Corn chowder is the most kid-friendly soup on this list, and the sweet corn hides vegetables well enough that picky eaters usually do not object. It is thicker than broth and steadier than a clear soup, which makes it good for anyone whose appetite is small.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups whole kernel corn, fresh, frozen, or canned and drained
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and soften the onion, carrot, and celery for 7 minutes.
2. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir for a full minute to cook out the raw taste.
3. Pour in the broth a little at a time, stirring, then add the potatoes, corn, thyme, and chicken.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender and the chicken is opaque all the way through.
5. Stir in the half-and-half and warm through without boiling for 3 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper and top with scallions and parsley.

Tip: Add the chicken when the broth is already simmering, not before, and keep the pot at a low bubble. Hard-boiled chicken turns dry and stringy in chowder.

Swap it: Use milk instead of half-and-half and skip the butter, using olive oil, for a lighter bowl. Corn and potato both thicken chowder, so leave out the flour if you are using fresh corn.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated. The chowder thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a little broth or water when reheating over low heat. Freeze for up to 3 months.

8. Greek-Inspired Lemon Chicken Rice Soup

Avgolemono-style lemon soup is a good choice when rich food turns you off but plain broth feels like nothing. The egg-lemon base turns the broth silky and coating, and cucumber keeps it fresh. The flavor stays deliberately mild, so it is worth keeping the lemon gentle here.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 20 minutes · Total: 35 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice, rinsed
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus wedges for serving
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Warm the oil and soften the onion, carrots, and celery for 6 minutes.
2. Add the broth and rice, bring to a boil, then simmer until the rice is tender, about 14 minutes.
3. While the rice cooks, whisk the beaten eggs with the lemon juice in a bowl until pale and slightly thickened.
4. Take a cup of hot broth from the pot and stream it into the egg mixture while whisking. Keep stirring; this tempering step stops the eggs from scrambling.
5. Turn the heat off, pour the egg-lemon mixture into the pot, and stir gently for one minute.
6. Stir in the chicken, cucumber, and dill and let it sit for 3 minutes without boiling.
7. Season with salt, and serve with feta and lemon wedges if you like.

Tip: Never boil the soup after the eggs go in. High heat turns the lemon base into scrambled curds, which is the one way this recipe fails.

Swap it: Leave out the feta for a dairy free bowl, or add a spoonful of plain yogurt to each serving at the table instead of cream. Cucumber can be swapped for frozen peas added at the end.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 3 days in a covered container, and add a splash of broth on reheat. Freezing makes the egg base slightly grainy, so this one is better made fresh.

9. Cozy Chicken Mushroom Soup

Mushrooms do the heavy lifting in this one. Browning them properly takes two batches in a hot pan, and that extra five minutes is the difference between a soup that tastes deep and one that tastes boiled.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
• 12 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, optional
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat and brown half the mushrooms in a single layer, 3 to 4 minutes, until deeply golden.
2. Add a little more oil and repeat with the rest of the mushrooms, then set them aside.
3. Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining oil, and cook the onion and carrots for 7 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and thyme for 30 seconds, then pour in the broth and bring to a simmer.
5. If you want a thicker soup, whisk the flour in now and simmer for 3 more minutes.
6. Return the mushrooms to the pot, stir in the chicken, and simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Turn off the heat, stir in the cream if using, and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: Do not crowd the pan or crowd the pot. Mushrooms release water when they cook, and if there is no space between them they boil in their own liquid instead of browning.

Swap it: Leave out the cream for a dairy free version and finish each bowl with a drizzle of olive oil. Shiitake or a mix of wild mushrooms work, and a spoonful of soy sauce at the end adds depth.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. Reheat gently on the stove; high heat can make the cream grainy. Freezes for up to 3 months, and the texture loosens a bit after thawing.

10. Chicken Tomato Basil Soup

Canned tomatoes make this a 40-minute meal with almost no effort, and basil stirred in at the very end keeps the soup tasting fresh rather than cooked. It has no dairy in the base, so it works when milk is the last thing you want to look at.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes · Total: 40 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cans (28 ounces total) whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half, optional
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• Salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the onion and carrots in the oil for 8 minutes, until the onions are soft and golden at the edges.
2. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in the tomato paste and cook it for 2 minutes, until it darkens to brick red.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, oregano, and bay leaf and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring a few times, until the soup has darkened and reduced slightly.
5. Stir in the shredded chicken and warm through for 5 minutes.
6. Take out the bay leaf, then add the cream if you are using it and stir in the basil off the heat.
7. Season with salt, pepper, and the pinch of sugar. Taste before adding more salt, since canned tomatoes are already salty.

Tip: That small pinch of sugar is not about sweetness. It takes the sharp edge off the tomatoes so the soup tastes rounder without turning sugary.

Swap it: Add a cup of rinsed white beans in the last 10 minutes for a thicker, higher fiber bowl. Skip the cream entirely and the soup stays dairy free.

Storage: Refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Basil turns dark and loses its aroma after a day or two, so hold back a few fresh leaves to add when you reheat. Freezes well for 3 months.

11. Healthy Chicken Sweet Potato Soup

Smooth, naturally gluten free, and filling enough to be a meal. Sweet potato is sweeter than people expect in a soup, and the ginger keeps it from tasting like a side dish. Blending is the only extra step, and the immersion blender does it right in the pot.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 15 minutes · Cook: 30 minutes · Total: 45 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 large sweet potatoes, about 2 pounds, peeled and cubed
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Chopped parsley and diced cooked sweet potato, for serving

Instructions

1. Warm the oil in a large pot and cook the onion and carrots for 7 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the sweet potato, broth, and cinnamon and bring to a boil.
4. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sweet potato is completely soft.
5. Blend the soup with an immersion blender right in the pot, or carefully in a blender in batches, until completely smooth.
6. Stir in the shredded chicken and the cream, if using, and warm through for 5 minutes.
7. Off the heat, add the lime juice if you like and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: Blend with the lid on the pot and the burner off, and keep the blade submerged. A splash of hot soup on the burner is the fastest way to burn a hand.

Swap it: Use butternut or pumpkin in place of sweet potato, or leave out the cream and use coconut milk for a dairy free bowl. The ginger is the ingredient you should not skip.

Storage: Keeps 3 to 4 days refrigerated, and because purees freeze smoothly, it is one of the best soups here for a freezer stash. Freeze up to 3 months, and loosen with broth when reheating.

12. Ginger Chicken Rice Soup

This is the one I make for a head cold. Ginger is the strongest flavor in the bowl, but the trick is how much: a teaspoon is gentle and settles a stomach, a full tablespoon is properly bold and cuts through congestion. Start small if you are not sure.

Yield: 4-6 servings · Prep: 10 minutes · Cook: 25 minutes · Total: 35 minutes · Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
• 4 scallions, whites and greens separated
• 1 inch fresh ginger, grated, about 2 teaspoons
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 ounces shiitake or cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, about 10 ounces
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil, to finish, optional
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the sesame oil in a pot and soften the carrot and the white parts of the scallions for 6 minutes.
2. Add the ginger, garlic, and mushrooms and cook for 4 more minutes, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it cooks off.
3. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil.
4. Stir in the rice and simmer, covered, for 14 minutes, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the broth.
5. Stir in the shredded chicken, soy sauce, and the green parts of the scallions.
6. Cover and let the soup rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
7. Drizzle with the finishing sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.

Tip: Grate the ginger against the grain and squeeze it in your fingers first. You get more juice, and the heat comes out gentler than it does from a big chunk.

Swap it: For brown rice, add 1/2 cup more broth and cook for 25 minutes instead of 14. Leave out the soy sauce for a gluten free bowl and lean on the ginger and sesame oil for flavor.

Storage: Refrigerate 3 to 4 days. Rice keeps taking on liquid, so add broth when reheating and stir gently. Freezes for up to 3 months, though rice turns somewhat soft after thawing.

Tips for Making These

• Use pre-cooked chicken safely. Rotisserie chicken is the fastest route, and it is what a lot of home cooks reach for when they are the ones who are sick. Shred it into a clean bowl, discard the skin, and reheat it in the soup for 5 minutes so it reaches 165°F (74°C) again. If you are cooking chicken from raw, it must hit 165°F (74°C) at the thickest part before it goes anywhere near the pot.
• Choose your broth on flavor, not on label. Low-sodium chicken broth leaves room for you to season the soup yourself, and a cup of quality broth carries a whole pot. Chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in water work in a pinch, and bone broth adds body and a deeper flavor if you have it.
• Add vegetables in order of cooking time. Carrots, celery, and potatoes go in first and need 15 to 20 minutes. Spinach, cucumber, herbs, and rice go in at the end. That single habit is the difference between soup with texture and soup with mush.
• Season gently, and taste often. When your appetite is low, salt can make a bowl taste too strong. Use a pinch of salt at a time, keep black pepper light, and reach for lemon juice or a little fresh dill at the end for brightness instead.
• Make what keeps well, not what is clever. Creamy soups, potato soups, and anything with noodles or rice are best eaten within 3 to 4 days. Simple broth-based soups like the classic chicken and rice freeze far better, so those are the ones to double.
• Cool soup quickly before refrigerating. Do not put a steaming pot straight into the fridge. Divide the soup into shallow containers so it cools fast, refrigerate within 2 hours, and reheat only the amount you plan to eat, keeping the rest cold.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Easiest Sick-Day Soup

Start with the classic chicken and rice soup. The flavor is mild, there is no dairy to upset you, the ingredient list is short, and it reheats as well as it cooks, which means one batch covers two or three low-energy days.

Once that bowl feels good, branch out from there. These 12 easy chicken soup recipes for when you are sick all come from the same short list of pantry basics, so whatever you have on a bad afternoon, one of them will fit. Updated for 2026, and tested in a real kitchen where half the time the cook was the sick one.