Soup, chicken
Common food
Photo: Wikipedia
Chicken soup is a clear to slightly cloudy broth, simmered from chicken bones and meat, offering a light, savory, and deeply comforting flavor with a thin, watery texture. Nutritionally, it's remarkably lean, providing a modest 40 kcal per 100g with a good balance of protein (3.44g) and minimal fat (1.14g).
Calorie split: 34% protein · 40% carbs · 26% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its universal comfort and versatility—it's a warm, soothing staple across cultures, easily customized with noodles, rice, or vegetables to create a complete, satisfying meal.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Commercial or canned versions can be very high in sodium, which may concern those managing blood pressure. To counteract this, choose low-sodium varieties, dilute with water, or use it as a base and season lightly yourself.
Key benefits
- Low-calorie, hydrating base for meals
- Provides easily digestible protein
- Source of minerals like sodium and potassium
- Often used as a gentle food during illness
- Can aid in meeting daily fluid intake
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'penicillin in a can' nickname for chicken soup isn't just folk wisdom; a 2000 study in the journal *Chest* found it may have mild anti-inflammatory effects that could help with upper respiratory cold symptoms.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 90.5 g |
| Energy | 40.0 kcal |
| Protein | 3.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 4.0 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.80 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.1 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 11.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 0.23 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 12.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 40.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 151 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 249 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.27 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.04 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 6.8 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.03 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.04 mg |
| Niacin | 1.1 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.12 mg |
| Folate, total | 11.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 11.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 11.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 13.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.03 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 33.0 ug |
| Retinol | 1.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 339 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 96.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 4.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 227 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 259 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.21 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 13.6 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.27 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.20 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.05 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.44 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.39 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.30 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.26 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.03 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 12.0 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Restaurant, Latino, black bean soup — USDA does not publish this profile for Soup.
| Tryptophan | 0.04 g |
| Threonine | 0.17 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.16 g |
| Leucine | 0.32 g |
| Lysine | 0.27 g |
| Methionine | 0.10 g |
| Cystine | 0.04 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.16 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.13 g |
| Valine | 0.20 g |
| Arginine | 0.35 g |
| Histidine | 0.09 g |
| Alanine | 0.35 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.38 g |
| Glutamic acid | 0.72 g |
| Glycine | 0.58 g |
| Proline | 0.36 g |
| Serine | 0.20 g |
FAQ
Is chicken soup actually nutritious or just comforting?
It's both. While low in calories, it provides hydration, electrolytes, and protein. Its nutritional value increases significantly when made with bones (for minerals) and loaded with vegetables.
Why does homemade chicken soup taste so much better than canned?
Homemade soup develops complex flavors from slowly simmering bones, meat, and aromatics. Canned versions often rely on salt and flavor enhancers like MSG, which provide a one-dimensional taste without the depth of a long-simmered broth.
Can I drink chicken soup on a diet?
Absolutely. At just 40 kcal per 100g, it's an excellent low-energy-density food that can promote fullness. For a balanced meal, add plenty of non-starchy vegetables and a small portion of whole grains or legumes.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 0.40 kcal/g · 34% calories from protein · 0.8 g fiber · 1.1 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 1.65 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.