Postpartum Chicken Soup Recipe With Ginger

A pot of chicken soup is one of the nicest things to find in the fridge when everyone is tired. This postpartum chicken soup recipe is warm, familiar, and easy to stretch across lunches, dinners, and small bowls eaten between baby naps.

It is also a good one to send to a visitor who texts, “What can I bring?” The ingredients are easy to find, the flavor is gentle, and the toppings can stay on the side so each person can finish their own bowl.

Postpartum Chicken Soup Recipe Notes

This is not a fancy soup, which is exactly the point. It reheats well, tastes familiar, and can be made by someone else when the household is running on very little sleep.

This version uses ginger, garlic, carrots, celery, chicken, and broth. Add rice, noodles, greens, lemon, herbs, or a soft-boiled egg if that is what you have.

Ginger Chicken Soup

A cozy chicken soup with ginger, vegetables, broth, and shredded chicken. Keep it mild, then let people add herbs, lemon, egg, rice, or greens at the table.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil
• 1 small yellow onion chopped
• 3 carrots chopped
• 2 celery stalks chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger grated or minced
• 8 cups chicken broth or bone broth
• 2 cups shredded cooked chicken rotisserie chicken works well
• 1 cup cooked rice optional
• 2 cups baby spinach or chopped greens optional
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice optional
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh herbs optional topping
• Soft-boiled egg optional topping

Instructions

 

• Warm oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour in broth and bring to a gentle boil.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• Stir in shredded chicken and cooked rice, if using. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until warmed through.
• Stir in spinach or greens, if using, and cook until just wilted.
• Add lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Serve warm with herbs, egg, or other toppings if desired.

Notes

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze individual portions for up to 3 months. If you are bringing this to a new family, keep toppings separate and label the container with the recipe name and date. Future-tired-parents will thank you.

Make It Ahead Or Bring It To A New Family

Make a batch before baby arrives, ask a friend to bring it, or cook it once and eat it for several meals. If you are bringing this soup to a new family, keep the flavor mild, label the container with the recipe name and date, and bring toppings separately.

Listen While This Simmers

While the soup is on the stove, listen to Prepare for Life After Baby with the Right Postpartum Support. It is a useful companion if you are thinking through meal help, visitor help, and what the first weeks at home could actually look like.

Love this recipe? You may also like the full Postpartum Soups and Stews Collection.

Recipe note: Every family has different food preferences, sensitivities, budgets, and recovery needs. Use this recipe flexibly, leave out ingredients that do not work for you, and check with your medical provider about what is best for you and your family.