Chicken Thigh Soup with Carrots Celery and Dill

Introduction

You start the chicken in cold water, skim the foam, and end up with a clear broth built on carrots, celery, and dill. The soup needs at least 30 minutes at a simmer, so it fits a simple dinner or a batch you can keep for lunches.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Servings: Varies

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs, boneless (easiest)
• Carrots, chopped into bite-sized chunks
• Celery, cross-cut into 5-10 mm slices
• Liquid chicken stock, or 2-3 vegetable stock cubes
• Dill (either dried dill leaf tips, or 1 bunch finely-chopped fresh dill)
• Water
• Salt

Instructions

1. Put chicken into cold or room-temperature water in a pot on the stove and set heat to bring it to a boil. As it heats up, a surface foam develops prior to the boil. We want a clear soup broth, so use a big spoon or small strainer to skim the foam and other “debris” away into a container. Discard the foam.
2. Remove chicken thighs from the pot and chop them into roughly bite-size pieces on a chopping board. The chicken may tend to fall apart anyway as you handle it. While chicken is out of the pot, it’s a good time to clear the broth further if desired.
3. Add the chicken pieces back into the pot.
4. Add carrots, celery, dill, and stock to the pot. Adjust heat to bring back to a simmer.
5. Simmer for at least 30 minutes (an hour is better, hours even better) to cook the chicken and mix the flavors.
6. Lightly salt to taste; individual diners can add more salt to their bowls if desired.

Variations

• Dill: Use the fresh dill option if you want a brighter, sharper herb flavor. Dried dill gives the broth a more blended, softer herbal note.
• Liquid chicken stock, or 2-3 vegetable stock cubes: Choose vegetable stock cubes for a lighter broth where the carrots, celery, and dill stand out more. Liquid chicken stock gives the soup a fuller chicken flavor.
• Carrots, chopped into bite-sized chunks: Cut the carrots smaller if you want them very soft after a shorter simmer. Larger chunks hold their shape better if you simmer closer to an hour.
• Simmer for at least 30 minutes: Keep the simmer closer to 30 minutes for clearer vegetable texture, or go longer for a more unified broth and more tender chicken.
• Chicken thighs, boneless (easiest): Swap in boneless chicken breast for a leaner soup. The result is less rich, and the meat is better if you keep the simmer on the shorter side.

Tips for Success

• Start the chicken in cold or room-temperature water as written, so the foam rises gradually and is easier to skim off.
• Skim the surface before the pot reaches a full boil; once it boils hard, the foam breaks apart and makes the broth cloudier.
• When you remove chicken thighs from the pot, give them a minute on the board before chopping so they firm up slightly and are easier to cut.
• After adding carrots, celery, dill, and stock, keep the pot at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil so the vegetables stay intact.
• Add salt at the end, since liquid stock and stock cubes can vary a lot in saltiness.

Storage and Reheating

Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze it in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months; the vegetables will soften a bit after thawing.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat until the broth is simmering and the chicken is hot all the way through. You can also microwave individual portions in a covered bowl in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until heated through.

FAQ

Why do you skim the foam off the top?

Skimming removes proteins and impurities that collect as the chicken heats. It gives you a clearer broth and a cleaner final look.

How much water should you use?

Use enough to cover the chicken comfortably and leave room for the vegetables, usually about 6 to 8 cups in a medium soup pot. If the soup reduces too much during a longer simmer, add a little more water.

Can you use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?

Yes. Chicken breast works, but it is leaner and less forgiving, so keep the simmer closer to 30 minutes to avoid dry meat.

Can you use the vegetable stock cube option instead of liquid chicken stock?

Yes. Dissolve the cubes into the pot as the soup comes back to a simmer, and wait until the end to salt since cubes are often more concentrated.