Oh, I get it. When that first crisp morning hits and you just know summer is packing its bags, my first instinct is always to head straight for the soup pot! There’s nothing that screams cozy quite like a big, warm bowl of something simmering away. As temperatures drop, I always return to chicken soup recipes—adjusting spices and textures until they feel just right for chilly evenings.
This particular recipe, my tried-and-true Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners, is exactly what you need. It’s simple enough for a hectic Tuesday night but comforting enough to feel like a true weekend treat. I’ve spent years tweaking this formula, learning exactly what makes a soup hearty enough to stand in as a full meal. Trust me, this one is worth putting on your weekly rotation for the entire season ahead. You can find other great soup ideas over at Real Simple, but this one is Dad’s favorite!
If you loved how easy this was, you should definitely check out my recipe for Fall Comfort Lemon Chicken Soup next week!
Why This Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners Recipe Works
This isn’t just soup; it’s efficiency served warm! Seriously, I love that I can get this on the stove and let it do its own thing while I handle other things around the house. It checks all the boxes for a perfect Fall Dinner Recipe without being fussy.
- Quick Prep for Busy Evenings: You only need about 10 minutes to chop everything up before it goes into the pot. Quick and easy wins the weekday dinner game every time!
- Building Deep Comfort Soup Flavor: By sautéing the onion, carrots, and celery first, we build a deep, savory foundation. That’s how you turn simple ingredients into an authentic Comfort Soup experience.
Essential Ingredients for Your Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners
When I make my Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners, I try to keep the core ingredients really straightforward. It’s all about clean, recognizable flavors that sing together while they simmer. You don’t need complicated spices here; good quality broth and fresh veggies do most of the heavy lifting!
For the main body of the soup, we’re focusing on about 8 cups of good chicken broth because that’s the backbone of any great soup. You’ll need your tried-and-true aromatics: one medium onion chopped, one cup of carrots diced, and one cup of celery diced. Don’t forget the two potatoes, peeled and diced—these really help thicken the broth up naturally! Since we aren’t making stock from scratch, we rely on already cooked and shredded chicken breasts—about two large ones should do it. And for flavor? Just simple dried thyme, plus salt and pepper to taste. I always use real salt, but if you want to learn more about different kinds, check out this neat guide on Kosher vs. Sea Salt. It makes a small difference!
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners
Now for the fun part! Getting this on the stove is so quick, you’ll be shocked how little effort this incredible Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners takes. We’re building layers of flavor right from the start, so pay attention to those little timing cues—they matter a ton!
Sautéing the Base Vegetables
First thing’s first: grab that big pot, add a tiny splash of oil, and get it on medium heat. Toss in your chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery. You need to let these cook down for about 5 minutes. You aren’t trying to brown them, just soften them up so they give up all their wonderful flavor when the broth hits them. For a deeper dive into why we bother softening these first, check out my technique notes on why we sauté aromatics before adding chicken breast!
Simmering the Broth and Chicken
Once the veggies are looking a little happier, throw in your shredded chicken, all 8 cups of that glorious chicken broth, and your dried thyme. Turn the heat up until it just starts to boil—a gentle boil, nothing crazy! Then, immediately drop that heat back down so it’s just a happy, slow simmer. You need to let this cook covered for a full 30 minutes. This is where the magic happens and the broth really absorbs that chicken and vegetable goodness.
Finishing with Potatoes and Seasoning
After that half hour, it’s time for the potatoes! Add your diced potatoes (remember, peeled!) and keep simmering, but this time leave the lid off. We let that go for another 15 minutes until you can easily pierce a potato with a fork. Taste it now! This is your moment to be brave with the salt and pepper. Adjust until it sings. If you want more inspiration after this, Allrecipes has a classic soup that follows a similar vibe!
Tips for the Best Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners Texture
Listen, soup texture can make or break the cozy factor, right? Since this base recipe works so well as a starting point, I want to share how you can bump it up if you’re looking for something richer—maybe moving it towards a true Creamy Chicken Soup experience. The heavy cream note in the recipe summary isn’t just fluff, it’s my number one trick!
If you want that luxurious, velvety feel that just clings to your spoon, stir in about a half-cup of heavy cream right at the very end, just before serving. Don’t boil it once the cream is in, just warm it gently. This gives you that wonderful, mouth-coating experience perfect for a cold night. For other creamy variations that I absolutely adore, you have to check out my Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe; it uses a different trick that’s amazing!
If you’re avoiding dairy, don’t stress. A small slurry of cornstarch mixed with cold water works wonders to thicken the broth just enough to feel substantial.
Equipment Needed for This Fall Soup
You really don’t need a giant arsenal of fancy gadgets for this Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners, which is another reason I love it for weekdays. We are keeping things simple and functional!
The absolute must-have is one large pot. I always recommend using a heavy Dutch oven if you have one, because they maintain heat so evenly, which is great for keeping that low, slow simmer going. If you don’t have a dedicated soup pot, just use your biggest, heaviest stock pot that you own!
That’s really it, folks! You just need the pot and a good knife and cutting board to handle all that chopping we talked about earlier. Keep it simple, keep it warm—that’s the motto for any good Fall Soup, in my book.
Making Variations of Your Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners
The beauty of a great base recipe like this is how easily you can switch things up as the season shifts! Just because this is my go-to for Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners doesn’t mean it has to taste exactly the same every time you make it. If you’re getting tired of the same old veggies, try swapping out those potatoes for cubes of butternut squash—it adds a wonderful sweetness that fits perfectly with autumn.
Herbs are your best friend here, too! While thyme is classic, don’t be afraid to toss in a couple of fresh sage leaves when you add the broth. Sage is the taste of late fall dinners, no question about it. For something completely different and robust, you could even explore something like my Healthy Crockpot Lasagna Soup when you need a hearty change later in the season. Trust me, these little tweaks keep your Fall Dinner Recipes exciting all season long!
Storage and Reheating This Comfort Soup
The best part about making a big pot of Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners is knowing you have leftovers ready to go—it just gets better overnight, somehow! It truly becomes the ultimate Comfort Soup the next day waiting in the fridge.
You’ll want to let the soup cool down almost completely on the counter before you seal it up. Hot liquids create condensation in the container, and that’s just not good for freshness, you know? Once it’s cool, pop it into totally airtight containers. It stays perfectly fresh in the refrigerator for a good 4 days. If you’re like me and always over-prepare, you can absolutely freeze it!
When freezing, try to leave about an inch of space at the top of your container, because liquid expands as it freezes. This soup freezes like a dream for up to three months. When it’s time to eat it again, reheating is easy peasy.
For the fridge leftovers, I always reheat mine slowly on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Make sure you stir it every couple of minutes so the bottom doesn’t scorch. If it seems too thick after chilling—which potatoes sometimes do—just add a little splash of water or extra broth while it warms up. For freezer meals, thaw overnight in the fridge first, then reheat gently on the stove. If you’re looking for other ways to use cooked chicken for amazing meals, you have to peek at my easy crockpot chicken pot pie with potatoes recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions About Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners
I know when I’m trying a new recipe, I always have a million little questions popping into my head before I even start chopping. Don’t worry, I’ve collected the most common things people ask me about this Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners recipe below!
Can I make this a Creamy Chicken Soup using pantry staples?
Absolutely, you can turn this into a wonderful Creamy Chicken Soup without needing much effort! My go-to is stirring in about a half-cup of heavy cream right at the end, just like I mentioned before. If you don’t have cream, try this trick: mix just one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of cold water until it’s totally smooth—that’s your slurry. Whisk that slurry into the simmering soup and watch it thicken up beautifully in just a minute or two. It gives you that rich feeling without needing specialty ingredients.
What is the best way to use leftover chicken for these Fall Dinner Recipes?
That’s one of the secrets to making this a fast Fall Dinner Recipe! You need pre-cooked chicken. Honestly, my favorite cheat is grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the store; just pull all the meat off and shred it. If you don’t have that handy, you can quickly make your own protein. Just take those two chicken breasts, put them in a small pot, cover them with water, add a pinch of salt, and let them simmer gently for about 12 minutes until cooked through. Then you just dice or shred them! Super simple.
How can I make this recipe suitable for a Winter Soup?
That’s a great call! When the weather really turns cold, you want your Winter Soup to feel extra hearty and warming. To upgrade this, I suggest adding some heartier root vegetables when you add the initial broth—things like parsnips or even some small cubes of sweet potato work great. Also, don’t be shy with the black pepper; increasing the pepper and maybe adding a tiny pinch of cayenne turns up the cozy heat factor perfectly!
If you want another fantastic way to use that leftover cooked chicken for other cozy nights, definitely check out how I use it in my Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup!
Author Information and Next Steps
I really hope this Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners warms up your kitchen and your table this year! I’m Hanna Foster, an Adaptation Specialist here at Recipes by Betty.
Once you try this, please come back and let me know how you liked it! A quick rating or comment helps me figure out which recipes to feature next. You can always reach out via my contact page!
Chicken Soup for Fall Dinners
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 2 large chicken breasts Cooked and shredded or diced
- 1 cup carrots Diced
- 1 cup celery Diced
- 1 medium onion Chopped
- 2 medium potatoes Peeled and diced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp black pepper Or to taste
- 1 tsp salt Or to taste
Instructions
- Heat a little oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Sauté for 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the cooked chicken, chicken broth, and dried thyme to the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Cover the pot and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to combine.
- Add the diced potatoes to the soup. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed before serving hot.