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Chef John's No-Water Chicken Soup

Recipe by Food Wishes on YouTubeAdded 27 October 2026.

20 minutes to prep, 1 hour 30 minutes to cook. Chef John's No-Water Chicken Soup extracts deep flavor by simmering a whole chicken with a mountain of vegetables, apple, and a hint of ginger. The broth develops naturally as the ingredients release their juices, delivering a hearty, comforting soup that's both tender and surprisingly rich.

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Chef John's No-Water Chicken Soup by Food Wishes, a frame from the YouTube video

Method

  1. Heat a generous amount of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium‑high heat.

  2. Add the onion, leek, and a pinch of salt; stir briefly until the onion begins to soften.

  3. Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, apple, cabbage, and escarole; press the vegetables down, cover the pot, and cook for about 10 minutes until they soften and collapse enough to make room for the chicken.

  4. Season the vegetables with additional salt and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper.

  5. Place the whole chicken on top of the softened vegetables.

  6. Lay the sliced ginger over the chicken.

  7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup uncovered for 1.5 hours, allowing the chicken to cook through and the vegetables to release their juices, forming a rich broth without added water.

  8. When the simmering time is complete, remove the lid; the chicken should be fully cooked and a flavorful broth should have formed.

Tips while you cook

Press vegetables down and cover
After adding the vegetables, press them down, cover the pot, and cook for about 10 minutes until they soften and collapse enough for the chicken.
Simmer uncovered on low heat
Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup uncovered for 1.5 hours to cook the chicken through and develop the broth.
Add ginger before simmering
Lay the sliced ginger over the chicken before reducing the heat and starting the simmer.

Notes from ReelsMeals, based on this recipe's ingredients, times and method. They are not the creator's instructions.

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The recipe comes from Food Wishes’s YouTube video. ReelsMeals wrote it down from the caption and the voiceover. Check the original if something looks off, and for anything about allergens.

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