Light, hearty, and delicious, Chicken Clear Soup is super easy to make at home. It is made using simple ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes. This soul-soothing soup is gluten-free and low carb too.

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About Chicken Clear Soup
Soup is something that comforts me instantly when I am feeling sick or not in my best form. That’s when a simple meal of soup such as this Chicken Clear Soup recharges me and helps me in walking extra miles.
Made using simple ingredients and in under 30 minutes, this clear soup is light, healthy, delicious, and soul-soothing. It’s gluten-free and low carb too.
Clear Soup is basically a richly flavored clear broth made using any meat, veggies, spices, herbs, and other flavorings. The ingredients are simmered for a long time resulting in deep rich flavors. It is great to serve if you have a cold or fever.
This Chinese-style Clear Soup right here is just perfect, as it is neither too heavy on the stomach nor it is too light. It is both filling and wholesome. You just need some simple ingredients such as bone-in chicken, onions, garlic, bay leaves, some whole spices, salt, and pepper, and you are sorted.
This chicken clear soup recipe can be made in an instant pot or a traditional stovetop pressure cooker. You can double or triple it too.
Here are some more soup recipes that you may like
- Tom Kha Soup
- Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Chinese Hot and Sour Soup
- Tomato Basil Soup
- Egg Drop Soup
- Instant Pot Taco Soup
- Healthy Carrot Ginger Soup
- Thai Pumpkin Curry Soup
Ingredients

Chicken – This soup is best made using skinless bone-in chicken as the bones release a lot of flavor into the broth.
If you are not comfortable with bone-in chicken, then use boneless chicken breasts.
Veggies – You will need carrots, red onions, and garlic. To make the soup even more flavorful, add some chopped celery as well.
Others – You will also need bay leaves, fresh thyme, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
If fresh thyme is not available, then you can use dried thyme as well.
How To Make Clear Chicken Soup
Wash 10 oz (300 g) of skinless bone-in chicken (cut into 1 and ½-inch pieces) well with water.
Note – It’s good to use chicken with bones to make clear soup as the bones add a lot of flavors. In case bone-in chicken is not available or you are not comfortable with it, then use 7 oz (200 g) of boneless chicken.
Cook The Chicken
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Add the chicken to a stove-top pressure cooker along with
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 3-4 cloves of garlic (smashed)
- ¼ cup of chopped carrot
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 4 cups of water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
and stir gently.
Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high heat.
Remove the pressure cooker from heat. Let the pressure release naturally and then open the lid of the cooker.
In An Instant Pot
Add the chicken to an instant pot along with
- ¼ cup chopped onions
- 3-4 cloves of garlic (smashed)
- ¼ cup of chopped carrot
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs of thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 3 cups of water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
and stir gently.


Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 2 minutes at high pressure.

Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.

Make The Soup
Strain the soup using a fine-mesh strainer.


Take out the chicken pieces and shred them into small pieces. Discard the bones and veggies.

Add a few shredded pieces to each serving bowl and pour the clear soup on top.

Garnish with spring onion greens. Serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions
If you want to make a Mexican version of this soup, add some chopped tomatoes and taco seasoning along with the veggies before cooking the chicken.
Once the soup is ready, top it up with grated cheddar cheese and tortilla chips.
To make a Thai version, add some garlic, fresh ginger, green onions, cilantro, lemongrass, and lime zest along with the veggies before cooking the chicken. Once the soup is ready, add some lime juice, fish sauce, and soy sauce. Garnish the soup with chopped red chilies and cilantro.
Yes, you can. Once the soup is ready, keep the pot over low heat (or press SAUTE button if making it an instant pot). Then slowly pour a whisked egg while whisking with the other hand. Cook for a minute until the egg is cooked and forms ribbons. Serve.
If you end up with some shredded chicken after serving the clear chicken soup, you can use it to make sandwiches, wraps, or burritos. Use it just like you would use boiled shredded chicken in any of your recipes.
Pro Tips By Neha
If you don’t have a pressure cooker (or instant pot), then you can make the soup in a pan. Add 1 cup of extra water. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is tender. Follow the rest of the recipe as mentioned.
You can add more vegetables like green beans, potatoes, celery, etc along with the chicken to make the clear soup even more nutritious and wholesome.
Want to make it more filling for your meals? Then add some boiled noodles, chicken dim sums, or veg dim sums to the clear soup.
You can also experiment with the seasonings. Add herbs like fresh parsley or rosemary, spice powders like sumac, taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, etc.
Make sure you do not overcook the chicken, otherwise, it won’t shred well.
You can also add finely chopped chicken pieces instead of shredded chicken to the soup.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve clear chicken soup on its own for a light dinner or with some hot steamed momos, fried rice, Hakka noodles, or dim sum. I like to add some boiled noodles or rice to it for a filling meal.
Serve it as a starter for your Indo-Asian meals or even for your house parties.
Top the soup with sliced scallions before serving.
Storage Suggestions
Clear Chicken Soup stays good for 3 to 4 days. In fact, its flavor improves after a few days of making. Just store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
To further extend the shelf life of the soup, you can freeze it too. Cool it completely and store it properly in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags and it can stay good for 1-2 months. Thaw before using, heat well, and serve.
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Recipe Card

Chicken Clear Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 ounce skinless bone-in chicken (300 g, cut into 1 and ½ inch pieces)
- ¼ cup chopped onion
- 3-4 whole garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
- ¼ cup chopped carrot
- 2 whole bay leaves
- 2-3 sprigs thyme (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
- Wash the chicken well with water.
Cook The Chicken
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Add the chicken to a stove-top pressure cooker along with onions, garlic, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, 4 cups of water, salt, and black pepper, and stir gently.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles on high heat.
- Remove the pressure cooker from heat. Let the pressure release naturally and then open the lid of the cooker.
In An Instant Pot
- Add the chicken to an instant pot along with onions, garlic, carrot, bay leaves, thyme, 3 cups of water, salt, and black pepper, and stir gently.
- Close the lid and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 2 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.
- Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid.
Make The Soup
- Strain the soup using a fine-mesh strainer.
- Take out the chicken pieces and shred them into small pieces. Discard the bones and veggies.
- Add a few shredded pieces to each serving bowl and pour the clear soup on top.
- Garnish with spring onion greens. Serve hot.
ankita suman
Thanks for the recipe…we do not get thyme here….can you please tell me the substitute of it?
Thank you.
msnehamathur
You can use dried Thyme or skip it totally and use some other herbs that you get locally. It will be perfectly fine.
Rebekah
What can you do if you do not have a pressure cooker?
Neha Mathur
You can make it in a pan on slow heat. Add more liquid than mentioned.
Jenifer King
I have a slow cooker , would this be successful in it ?
Neha Mathur
Yes, ofcourse.
Leanne
Do you leave the skin on the chicken before cooking it?
Neha Mathur
I generally use skinless chicken.
Kim kukreti
Here in Dehradun, Thyme and oragano are even not available in big Malls.
Could Tulsi or Ajwayen leaves be used
Neha Mathur
You can use coriander instead. i would love to experiment with tulsi and ajwain flavour also.
Sonia
Very tasty and easy to make .
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Ronda
OMG this is so yummy. I had been searching for a good recipe. this is just like my grandmothers . thank you for putting up
Neha Mathur
I am glad you liked it.
Ranvir kumar thakur
Tried it. Tasted great. Pls share recipe for authentic Dal Kolhapuri. Thanks
Neha Mathur
Thanks. Will share soon.
Michael
It’s easy to cook chicken soup according to your recipe. But very delicious. Thanks you for your share
Neha Mathur
Happy that you liked it 🙂
Roses
This is my second time cooking this dish according to your recipe. I want to say that it was awesome. Thank you very much!
Neha Mathur
Happy to hear 🙂
Natalie
Hi!
I have two ponds of bone in chicken breasts – so I thought o could double the recipe. And could I add shrimp to the recipe?
Thanks!
Neha Mathur
Yes sure, You can double the recipe and add shrimp too.
Vee
I tried it out. It was yummy and so easy to make.
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Suvadip Jana
So good
Neha Mathur
Thanks
Peshali
Thank you for this recipe.
I added a potato, a leek and noodles and I used curry leaves instead of bay leaves and thyme.
I also added a dash of Worcestershire sauce and chilli oil at the end.
I’m usually quite bad at making soups but this one came out really well 😅
Thank you!