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Chicken Vegetable Soup is a cozy, hearty classic made with tender chicken, potatoes, vegetables, Italian herbs, and a touch of smoky bacon for extra depth. This isn’t a thin, watery soup — it’s rich, comforting, and filling enough to be dinner, yet simple enough for a weeknight.
What makes this version work so well is the layered flavor base: bacon drippings for richness, a light roux for body, tomatoes for balance, and a boost of concentrated chicken flavor from Better Than Bouillon. The result tastes like it simmered all afternoon, even though it comes together in about an hour.
If you love classic homemade chicken soups, be sure to try my Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken and Rice Soup next, or browse my full Chicken Soup collection for even more cozy bowls. This chicken vegetable soup is the kind of simple, satisfying recipe that warms you right up.
✨ Before You Begin
✨ Use a large stockpot: You’ll need at least a 12-quart stockpot for the homemade chicken broth.
✨ Don’t skip the chill time: Resting the matzo ball mixture helps the matzo meal hydrate and creates lighter, more tender matzo balls.
✨ Simmer gently: Keep the matzo balls at a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil so they stay fluffy and don’t fall apart.
✨ Expect light, fluffy floaters: This recipe makes tender matzo balls with enough body to still feel hearty.
✨ Cook separately for clearer broth: Cooking the matzo balls in a separate pot helps keep the chicken broth clean, golden, and clear.
Quick Answer: What Makes Matzo Balls Light and Fluffy?
Light matzo balls come down to a few simple things: chilling the mixture before shaping, handling the balls gently, simmering instead of boiling, and using ingredients like seltzer water and a small amount of baking powder to create a lighter texture. This recipe creates tender “floaters” that stay fluffy without falling apart.
Ingredients + Key Notes
Whole Chicken + Chicken Wings: Using both gives the broth deeper flavor, more body, and enough rendered chicken fat to make authentic-tasting matzo balls.
Schmaltz: Schmaltz is simply rendered chicken fat. It gives matzo balls their classic rich flavor and helps create authentic deli-style taste. Vegetable oil works in a pinch, but schmaltz adds noticeably more depth.
Matzo Meal: Be careful not to add extra matzo meal. Too much can create dense, heavy matzo balls instead of light, tender ones.
Seltzer Water: Seltzer helps keep the matzo balls airy and fluffy instead of compact.
Fresh Dill: Dill brightens the rich broth and adds the classic fresh flavor commonly found in traditional matzo ball soup.
🥣 How To Make Matzo Ball Soup
Make the broth. Add the chicken, wings, onions, carrots, celery, turnip, shallots, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and water to a very large stockpot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered.
Remove the chicken. After about 1½ hours, remove the whole chicken and shred the breast meat once cool enough to handle. Return the carcass and remaining bones to the pot and continue simmering until the broth is deeply flavorful and reduced slightly.
Strain the stock. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve to keep it clear and clean-tasting. Refrigerate the broth and save the rendered chicken fat from the surface for the matzo balls.
Make the matzo ball mixture. Whisk together the eggs, schmaltz, and seltzer water. Stir in the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, and pepper until combined. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Shape the matzo balls. Using damp hands, gently roll the mixture into balls about 1½ inches wide. Don’t pack them tightly or they can become dense.
Cook the matzo balls. Bring a pot of broth or salted water to a gentle simmer. Add the matzo balls, cover tightly, and simmer without lifting the lid until puffed and cooked through.
Finish the soup. Simmer the carrots, celery, and dill in the remaining broth until tender. Add the cooked matzo balls and shredded chicken back to the soup, then finish with fresh chopped dill before serving.
🔬 Cooking Science: Why Matzo Balls Get Dense
Dense matzo balls are usually caused by one of four things: too much matzo meal, overmixing, rolling the balls too tightly, or boiling them too aggressively.
Resting the mixture before shaping allows the matzo meal to fully hydrate so the balls stay tender instead of dry or compact. Seltzer water and a small amount of baking powder also help create a lighter texture by adding tiny air pockets as the matzo balls cook.
For the fluffiest texture, handle the mixture gently and keep the cooking liquid at a gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
⭐ Skipping the chill time: The mixture needs time to hydrate properly or the matzo balls can fall apart.
⭐ Adding too much matzo meal: Too much matzo meal creates heavy, dense “sinkers.”
⭐ Rolling too firmly: Gently shaping the matzo balls helps keep them tender and airy.
⭐ Boiling instead of simmering: Aggressive boiling can make matzo balls tough or unevenly cooked.
⭐ Lifting the lid too early: Keep the pot covered while the matzo balls cook so they steam properly and stay fluffy.
Frequently Asked Questions
◆ Why are my matzo balls dense?
Dense matzo balls are usually caused by too much matzo meal, overmixing, rolling too tightly, or boiling too aggressively.
◆ Should matzo balls float or sink?
Some families prefer dense “sinkers,” while others love lighter “floaters.” This recipe leans light, fluffy, and tender.
◆ What is schmaltz?
Schmaltz is rendered chicken fat. It adds rich flavor and gives matzo ball soup its classic deli-style taste.
◆ Why is my broth cloudy?
Cooking the matzo balls directly in the broth can release starch and make the soup cloudy. Cooking them separately helps keep the broth clear.
◆ Can I use store-bought chicken stock?
Yes. Homemade stock gives the soup deeper flavor and body, but good-quality store-bought stock works well in a pinch.
◆ Can matzo ball soup be made ahead?
Yes. The broth can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Matzo balls can also be cooked ahead and stored separately until ready to serve.
Still have questions? Drop them in the comments — I love helping you cook with confidence! 💗
More Cozy Chicken Soups To Try
If you love homemade matzo ball soup, be sure to browse my Chicken Soup Collection for even more cozy, comforting favorites.
- Chicken and Rice Soup — hearty, comforting chicken soup filled with tender rice, vegetables, and flavorful broth.
- Chicken Vegetable Soup — a lighter homemade chicken soup packed with vegetables and rich, savory flavor.
- Lemon Chicken Soup — bright, cozy chicken soup with fresh lemon flavor and a comforting broth that feels both hearty and refreshing.
- Italian Chicken Soup — cozy homemade chicken soup with pasta, vegetables, herbs, and rich old-world flavor.
- Chicken Gnocchi Soup — creamy, cozy chicken soup loaded with tender gnocchi, vegetables, and comforting flavor.
Tried This Recipe?
If you enjoyed this soup, please take a moment to leave a star rating and a quick comment — I love hearing from you!
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Matzo Ball Soup
Ingredients
Chicken Stock:
- 1 (4-5 pounds) whole chicken
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 large yellow onions quartered
- 6 large carrots cut into 1-inch pieces
- 6 celery stalks cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 small turnip
- 2 shallots quartered
- 2 small heads garlic halved crosswise
- 2 sprig fresh thyme
- 3-4 bay leaves
- 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 12-14 cups water use just enough to cover all Ingredients
Matzo Balls:
- 4 large eggs beaten
- 1/4 cup rendered chicken fat from stock or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup seltzer water
- 1 cup matzo meal
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
To Finish:
- 1 1/2 cups carrots 1/4-inch diced
- 1 cup celery 1/4-inch diced
- 1-2 large sprigs fresh dill
- 1/4 cup fresh dill
Instructions
Make Chicken Stock:
- Place all ingredients in a very large stockpot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat and gently simmer, partially covered, for 1 1/2 hours. Carefully remove the whole chicken to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then remove all the breast meat. Shred the breast meat and when cool enough, wrap, store in the refrigerator.
- Return the carcass and any skin that was removed back to the pot. Continue to simmer stock, skimming the surface occasionally, for another 1 1 /2 hours, or until the stock has been reduced by one third.
- Strain chicken stock through a fine-mesh sieve into a large, clean saucepan or heatproof container and discard the solids. You should have approximately 8 cups of stock. Allow to cool, then refrigerate. Remove solidified fat from the surface and save to use in Matzo Balls. Can be made 2 days ahead.
Make The Matzo Balls:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the matzo meal, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, seltzer water, and schmaltz or vegetable oil. Mix in the matzo meal mixture to the dried ingredients. Refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Using a medium cookie scoop, form Matzo balls into 1 1/2 inch balls, wetting your hands and roll them to finish shaping them. Rewet your hands as needed.
- Meanwhile, divide the chicken stock evenly into 2 large saucepans. Add the matzo balls to one of the saucepans, cover, and simmer until they're cooked through about 1 hour. In the other saucepan, add the carrots, celery, and 1-2 sprigs of dill simmer until they're tender. Remove dill sprigs.
- When the matzo balls are cooked, using a slotted spoon, add them to the saucepan with the cooked carrots and celery, then pour the matzo ball cooking chicken broth through a fine sieve into the saucepan with the cooked veggies and matzo balls. Add the chopped dill.
- Ladle soup into individual bowls and serve. Garnish with chopped dill.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- While letting the stock simmer, the recipe calls for you to skim off the fat and foam at the top.
- If you want a clearer soup, try straining out the cooked matzo and carrots using a sieve.
- No matter what texture of matzo balls you decide to go with, be careful how much matzo meal you add.
- The recipe asks you to cook the matzo balls covered for at least 30 minutes. The key here is not to peek! Don’t pull off the lid to see how they’re doing until those 30 minutes are up. You make interrupt the cooking process at the critical moment!
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