Take homemade chicken soup to aromatic new heights by adding rosemary to the mix! This easy comfort food recipe for rosemary chicken soup is ready in about an hour, making it a perfect hearty winter weeknight supper.
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Why we love this recipe
This rosemary chicken soup is one of my best comfort food recipes. It’s a warm and wonderful conglomeration of tender chicken and vegetables simmered up with the nutty taste of barley, and infused with one of my favorite herbs, aromatic rosemary.
It’s perfection on a chilly winter day, when you are snuggled under your favorite blanket on the sofa, holding a warm mug of soup in your hands with a fire crackling in the fireplace and your favorite movie about to begin. It’s chicken soup wonderfulness at its most wonderful.
It starts out as a straightforward chicken soup, full of carrots and celery and sweet chopped onion. It gets even better with the addition of either barley or farro – both are hearty and delicious grains that give this soup just the right amount of substance. But simmering it with fresh rosemary leaves is what takes it over the top to soup perfection.
Oh, and did I mention it is ready in about an hour, including 45 minutes of delicious simmering time? Let’s make it!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Chicken: You can swap in chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you like…make sure they are boneless.
- Rosemary: You want the fresh stuff…look for it in the produce section of your supermarket
- Farro: I love this nutty, hearty grain which you can usually find near the rice in your supermarket, but you can also swap in an equal amount of barley (also in the rice aisle) if you prefer.
- Lemon: No lemon? You can use a couple tablespoons of bottled lemon juice if needed.
- Chicken Broth: We always suggest the broth in the box (instead of the can) if you have it…the taste is so nice and fresh.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: Saute some chopped carrots, celery and sweet onion in a little canola oil until the onion starts to soften.
STEP 2: Add some chicken broth, lemon juice, poultry seasoning, boneless chicken and some farro or barley. Give it all a good stir and bring it to a simmer.
STEP 3: Strip the leaves from a couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary and add them to the soup. Cover the pot and let things simmer for 45 minutes.
STEP 4: Scoop out the chicken and shred it into bite sized piece.
STEP 5: Return the shredded chicken to the pot, season it to your liking with salt and pepper and ladle that deliciousness up!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, yes, YES! Soup is one of those meals that get even more flavorful as it sits. Keep it in the fridge…it may thicken up as the farro or barley soaks up the broth, so simply add a little more broth to thin it out as you reheat it on the stove.
Poultry seasoning is a combo of ground thyme, sage, marjoram and sometimes a little black pepper. It gives that little something extra to chicken dishes (and I also sometimes use it on fish). You can find it in the spice aisle. I always have some in my spice drawer, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can combine dried sage (that spice is essential to poultry seasoning) with any of those others above and you will be just fine.
Farro is a hearty, chewy grain with a nutty flavor, and you can usually find it in the rice aisle. You can substitute barley if you prefer.
Pop your question in the comments section below and I will answer pronto!
Want to round out your meal?
Nothing goes with chicken soup like a nice warm biscuit! We are torn between butter biscuits and cream cheese stuffed biscuits at the moment.
And for dessert, how about a couple of sweetly spiced Hermit Cookies?
Other chicken soup recipes we love
Looking for more soup inspiration? Here is our complete collection of soup recipes!
Could you leave us a review?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Rosemary Chicken Soup
Take homemade chicken soup to aromatic new heights by adding rosemary! This easy comfort food recipe for rosemary chicken soup is ready in under an hour.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Lactose
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 carrots, peeled and cut into rounds
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- Juice from one lemon
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 cup pearl barley or farro
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the oil in a large deep pot and heat over medium high. Add carrots, celery and onion and stir until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add chicken broth, lemon juice, poultry seasoning, chicken breasts and barley or farro. Bring to a simmer.
- Strip the leaves from the rosemary and add to the soup. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and shred into bite sized pieces. Return to the soup and stir. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve in warmed bowls. This is a soup that gets better over time, so make sure you make enough for leftovers!
Notes
This makes a very thick soup, so you may want to have a little extra chicken broth on hand to loosen it up, especially after it has been in the fridge overnight. If it lasts that long!
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- Chicken: You can swap in chicken thighs for chicken breasts if you like…make sure they are boneless.
-
- Rosemary: You want the fresh stuff…look for it in the produce section of your supermarket
-
- Farro: I love this nutty, hearty grain which you can usually find near the rice in your supermarket, but you can also swap in an equal amount of barley (also in the rice aisle) if you prefer.
-
- Lemon: No lemon? You can use a couple tablespoons of bottled lemon juice if needed.
-
- Chicken Broth: We always suggest the broth in the box (instead of the can) if you have it…the taste is so nice and fresh.
Debbie says
Love this twist on chicken soup! The rosemary and the barley give it such a comfy and homey feeling. It was delicious!
Comfy and homey – I totally agree! Glad you love this one as much as we do. :)
It’s a great combo for sure!
Amanda says
Chicken and rosemary is a combination that I’ve liked for a long time. This is definitely a comforting soup!
grace says
what a great post! i love when recipes can be tied to a person or event. :)
also love chicken with rosemary, obviously. :)
Recipes make for great memories. :)
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
I like that you added barley to your chicken soup instead of the usual noodles.
I do love barley! And farro. Good and good for you!
Blair says
I just made some pork this week with fresh rosemary and I swear it’s my favorite herb. It just makes everything smell and taste amazing! I was wondering what to do with the extras, and now I want to use it in soup. Your recipe looks so good and I can just imagine how it makes your kitchen smell. Mmmmm…
Rosemary is the best!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says
Awww I love that photo of you and your friends! SO SWEET! And I LOVE this soup! Rosemary is a wonderful herb and I adore that you added barley in here! This looks cozy and comforting, Kate! Perfect for this time of year! Cheers! <3
Friends are the best comfort of all, right? :)
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
Nothing hits the spot better than a nice bowl of hot chicken soup when you’re sick or just whenever really! I love the addition of the rosemary Kate!
And especially on snowy days like today! :)
Angela says
Do you use skinless chicken breasts?
I do!
Salsagal says
Where could I find this beautiful bowl? Must make this soup! Thanks
I got the bowl ages ago on the sale table at Anthropologie – I just checked their website and they don’t seem to be carrying it anymore, but they have lots of other pretty bowls!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
I adore Rosemary! We grow it in the summer and cook with it all season. Lovely on steak too. This soup looks so comforting and would be perfect right now on this cold, snowy day!
It’s right up there with basil as one of my favorite herbs!
Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says
Rosemary is my favorite herb to cook with! I always add it to chicken noodle soup, so I’m loving this version, Kate! Wish I could dive right into a big bowl of this for breakfast! :)
Soup for breakfast is one of my favorite things!
Rosemary says
I am so touched by this, Kate! Thank you! What a sweet and lovely post. And I will go ahead and make this delicious-looking soup!
xxooo
Hug and smooch!