This Toddler Approved Alphabet Chicken Soup starts with homemade stock, then adds tender chicken, carrots, zucchini and fun alphabet pasta. Cozy comfort for little ones!
There’s nothing like a comforting, soothing bowl of homemade chicken soup, especially when a loved one makes it for us when we’re feeling under the weather. This Toddler Approved Alphabet Chicken Soup, made with homemade stock, veggies and alphabet pasta, is my son’s favorite.
The recipe
Place all the stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about .
You can prep the ‘To Make The Soup’ ingredients while the stock is cooking.
Once the chicken is tender, remove it and set aside to cool.
Strain the broth through a very fine sieve into a large bowl. Discard the remaining ingredients.
Return the broth to the large pot along with the sliced carrots, cubed zucchini and sliced celery. Cook over medium heat for .
Meanwhile, remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken, cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add it to the pot.
Add the alphabet pasta.
In a small pan, sauté the chopped tomato in a little olive oil until soft (), then add it to the soup.
Add the chopped parsley and season with salt to taste.
The soup is ready! Garnish with parsley and freshly cracked black pepper.
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
11.1g protein per 100 calories
Protein powerhouse
Nutrition is an estimate per serving, calculated from USDA ingredient data and will vary with brands and portions. Optional items not included: extra parsley for garnish; freshly cracked black pepper for garnish. Counts the drumstick meat only (about 95 g per large drumstick) since the skin and bones are discarded, plus about 15 g of chicken fat left in the broth. The stock vegetables and spices are strained out and not counted. Assumes about 1/2 tsp salt for rubbing the chicken, 1 tsp olive oil for sautéing the tomato, and the midpoint of 1/4–1/3 cup pasta. Use it as a guide, not medical advice.
To Make The Stock
Step 1 of 11
Place all the stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.
You'll need
To Make The Stock
Step 2 of 11
Reduce the heat to a simmer, partially cover and cook until the chicken is tender, about .
To Make The Soup
Step 3 of 11
You can prep the ‘To Make The Soup’ ingredients while the stock is cooking.
To Make The Soup
Step 4 of 11
Once the chicken is tender, remove it and set aside to cool.
To Make The Soup
Step 5 of 11
Strain the broth through a very fine sieve into a large bowl. Discard the remaining ingredients.
To Make The Soup
Step 6 of 11
Return the broth to the large pot along with the sliced carrots, cubed zucchini and sliced celery. Cook over medium heat for .
You'll need
To Make The Soup
Step 7 of 11
Meanwhile, remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken, cut the meat into bite-size pieces and add it to the pot.
To Make The Soup
Step 8 of 11
Add the alphabet pasta.
You'll need
To Make The Soup
Step 9 of 11
In a small pan, sauté the chopped tomato in a little olive oil until soft (), then add it to the soup.
You'll need
To Make The Soup
Step 10 of 11
Add the chopped parsley and season with salt to taste.
You'll need
To Make The Soup
Step 11 of 11
The soup is ready! Garnish with parsley and freshly cracked black pepper.
Behind the recipe
Last week, I was reminded of the importance of the warmth of home and family. I picked up my son from preschool after he came down with a fever, and my heart sank when I saw him. I was taken back to similar times in my childhood when I was picked up sick. That sense of relief at seeing a warm, familiar face instantly filled both our hearts. As I hugged him, I shared his feeling that soon we’d be in the comfort of home sweet home.
Doesn’t home become exceptionally comfortable when you’re not feeling well? It also feels SO good to know that someone will be there to take good care of you. And it’s the BEST feeling in the world when that someone knows exactly how to nourish your soul. #TheresNoPlaceLikeHome ❤️
I placed Roy in his favorite spot on the couch with the coziest blanket, turned on a movie and started making his favorite soup.
This nourishing Toddler Approved Alphabet Chicken Soup is perfect to help fight off the sniffles. It’s also delicious, and who doesn’t like alphabet-shaped pasta?!
The thing is, comfort food isn’t just about the food itself. A cup of homemade soup from a loving mother to her sick child brings an incomparable kind of healing. There’s a warm and fuzzy emotional association that makes the food oh so comforting. There’s truly no place like home when we’re not feeling so good.
I start off by making my own stock. This is the best kind of stock! I simmer bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks with some flavor-boosting ingredients like parsley, green onion, celery, carrots, red onion, peppercorns, whole cloves and cinnamon sticks for 30 minutes.
Once the chicken is cooked, the stock is ready! I remove the chicken to cool and discard all the other ingredients. Now the veggies can go in. I use celery, carrots and zucchini. The chicken can now be skinned and deboned and added back to the soup along with the alphabet-shaped pasta. I also like to cook down some chopped tomatoes and add them to the soup with chopped parsley. The tomatoes add a bit of sweetness and acidity.
Roy’s favorite soup is ready, and it looks so good! It brings me so much joy to see a smile on his face and hear his sweet voice say excitedly, “You made me chicken soup?!”
Of course I did, that’s what I’m here for! Now scoot your cute little butt over and let’s enjoy our bowls of this Toddler Approved Alphabet Chicken Soup together, my sweet baby Roy.
Now stop staring at these pics, go make this soup and tell me how you like it. K. Thanks. Bye.
Keep cooking
The Colorful Crew newsletter
Questions & comments 15
Leave a commentI came to google to find a toddler friendly soup after my son started experiencing a fever/cold. My first thought was to check out a few different recipes and pick things that I liked from each but plans changed after seeing this unique recipe. It was a joyful experience making my own broth and experimenting with cinnamon in a soup. I’m here to say I truly love the flavorful notes in this soup. My 3 years old son likes it too.
Hi India! Thanks for the review. 🙂 I’m glad you and your son liked the soup and hope he’s feeling better!
Absolutely yummy and toddler approved! The cinnamon and cloves added lovely earthy notes to the soup.
Love that includes bone broth and no canned ingredients! The cinnamon was a wonderful twist. Lovely soup I will be making for years!
Hi Araz! Thanks so much for the comment and it’s so nice to hear your family loves it! Yes, double it all up for more!! Enjoy!!
Hi! We love this recipe and it has become a family favorite. Our 22 month old always finishes his bowl and asks for more. If I wanted to make more, would I just double all of the ingredients?
This recipe sounds amazing! My daughter has many food allergies and one of them is celery. What would you try substituting to still get a good flavor?
Hi Monica! So sorry I’m late to respond but I would use fennel or leeks instead of celery as a flavorful substitute. Let me if you try/tried this soup and how it turned out. How your daughter likes it ❤️
Wow this soup is something unreal is so tasty all family liked it my 2 and nearly 5 year old loves it too and the stock we made is so delicious I can just have it on its own. This is so healthy and one of my favourite soups I make this soup quiet often. And the stock I make I ussually double it , I use for other soups too. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Isn’t it so good??? Thanks so much Sandra for your comment and I’m so happy your kids love this soup!❤️
My toddler has his first-ever cold. Other than breastmilk, this is the first meal he has made it through in 24 hours. I made enough for the whole family..it is delicious! I added some apple cider vinegar to the broth and find it irrestable! I’m going to dig for more recipes now. Thank you!
Hi Stephanie! Thanks for leaving this comment….it warmed my heart! I’m so happy to hear I was somehow able to help your little one and hope he’s feeling much better now! I will add apple cider vinegar next time. That sounds amazing! Happy New Year! 🙂
I didn’t even know you could buy dry alphabet pasta… that’s so awesome. I bet my little girl would get a kick out of using it to make crafts and stuff.
Oh, and nice recipe too 🙂 I think it’s safe to say just by looking at it that it’s way better than any of the canned stuff!
Thanks, Lucas! Definitely better than any of the canned stuff 😀
You must have had my husband in mind when you made this recipe! It is the most perfect bowl of deliciousness for my pickle loving guy. I must admit I’m intrigued and will have to make this to see for myself 🙂 Thanks for stirring up the flavors today Sue