Beyond its flavor, this cabbage and chicken soup is a true wellness booster. Turmeric and ginger are both known for their anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties, making this dish perfect for when you’re looking to reset or warm up from the inside out. The cabbage softens beautifully as it cooks, soaking up all the savory broth; the carrots, celery, and onions add natural sweetness, all while the chicken stays tender and juicy. A pinch of black pepper ties everything together and is necessary to assist with the absorption of the turmeric. Simmered together, the ingredients create a broth that’s rich, aromatic, and deeply nourishing. It’s the kind of soup you’ll crave when you’re feeling under the weather, need something wholesome after a long day, or want a simple, clean meal that still feels satisfying.
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Why You Will Love This Cabbage and Chicken Soup:
- The simple ingredients are nutrient-rich and packed with healing benefits to boost your immune system in every bite.
- It is simple and straightforward to have ready to eat in less than 30 minutes.
- You can customize this chicken cabbage soup in many different ways! See below for some tips.
- Make a batch to have in the freezer in individual servings to pull out on days you don’t feel like cooking.
- This hearty soup is low-carb, gluten-free, dairy-free, grain-free, Paleo, Keto, Whole30, and Specific Carbohydrate Diet friendly.
Ingredients You Will Need:
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Adds richness and more health benefits while sautéing the vegetables. You can also use avocado oil.
- Vegetables: Finely diced carrots, celery, and yellow onion are cooked to perfect tenderness and add depth and sweetness in every bite.
- Fresh Garlic Cloves: A garlic press makes it super simple to finely mince and get all the delicious flavor.
- Spices and Herbs: Salt, black pepper, ground turmeric, and dried thyme make a simple and flavorful combination.
- Fresh ginger: I recommend grating on a fine microplane grater. It’s quick and straightforward and releases all the incredible benefits of the ginger.
- Chicken Broth: You can use homemade broth or store-bought. Chicken stock will also work.
- Cabbage: I use green cabbage for this soup, but Savoy cabbage would also work. Red cabbage would probably work, but your soup will definitely turn an interesting color.
- Chicken: You’ll want to use cooked, chopped, or shredded chicken. This is a great recipe for leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.
- Parsley: Use fresh parsley for a beautiful and delicious garnish at the end.
Kitchen Tools You Will Need:
- Large Pot or Dutch Oven
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Vegetable Peeler
- Microplane Grater
- Wooden Spoon
Using Raw Chicken
You can add raw chicken into the broth and leave it to cook for 15 minutes before removing and dicing. This will also give the broth extra flavor.
How To Make This Cabbage & Chicken Soup:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the vegetables and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the ginger, thyme and turmeric, cook for 1 minute then add in the chicken stock and leave the soup to simmer.
- While the soup is simmering, shred the cabbage. Once the carrots are almost tender, add in the chicken and cabbage and leave to simmer.
- Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley.
How to Modify:
- Use a combination of red and green cabbage for a color variety. Just be warned that red cabbage will turn
- Add extra veggies like celery, kale, spinach, zucchini, or bell peppers.
- Make a chicken noodle soup by adding egg noodles or your favorite short cut pasta.
- Add grains like rice, quinoa, or farro for a heartier meal.
- Give a creamy base with a bit of coconut milk or heavy cream.
Dietary Customizations:
- Make this vegetarian by skipping th chicken and swapping for white beans or chickpeas.
- Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
- Skip the garlic if your diet doesn’t allow for it.
- Add a creamy base of pureed steamed cauliflower florets or coconut milk.
Serving Suggestions:
This is delicious with a slice of crusty bread or a seedy or buttery crackers for some crunch. I also recommend serving it with a delicious salad like Shaved Zucchini Salad, Tomato, Peach, and Burrata Salad or Orange, Avocado and Candied Pistachio Salad.
Top with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese or a pinch of Feta.
Common Questions
Store cooled soup in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove over medium heat, adding a splash of broth or water if needed. Cabbage continues to soften as it sits, so the texture may be more tender when reheated—but the flavor will be rich and delicious.
Yes! Dice the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic up to 2 days ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and refrigerate.
Then, thinly slice the cabbage and keep it in a separate container so it stays crisp until cooking. You can also make the soup to completion, bring to room temperature, and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat in a large pot over medium heat until warmed.
Yes! To freeze, let the soup cool completely, transfer it into freezer-safe containers, and store for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove, adding extra broth or water if needed.
More Soup Recipes You Will Love:
- Chorizo, Corn, and Potato Chowder
- Pasta e Fagioli
- Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
- 10-Minute Pastina Soup
- Tantanmen Ramen
If you make this Cabbage and Chicken Soup recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Cabbage and Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup diced carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 1 onion finely diced (=1 cup)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp finely grated ginger grate on a microplane
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 small head green cabbage 2 cups thinly shaved green cabbage
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot or dutch oven on medium high heat add the olive oil. Once hot add in the carrots, celery, onion and garlic, sprinkle with salt and pepper and leave to cook for 5 minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
- Add the finely grated ginger, thyme and turmeric and cook for 1 minute and then add in the chicken stock and leave the soup to simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, shred the cabbage, cut the head of cabbage into quarters and then very thinly slice it into shaved strips
- Once the carrots are almost tender, add in the chicken and cabbage and leave to simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley
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