Buying Chicken Soup: Our Recommendations for Every Occasion

Whether you're looking for a quick meal after a long day, a comforting snack, or a solid base for a homemade dish, chicken soup is often the answer. However, the market is vast and the options are diverse. To help you find the right choice for your needs, we've created an overview of different types of chicken soup and what to look for.

What to Look for When Choosing Chicken Soup

Before making a choice, it's helpful to know which type of soup best suits you. The main differences lie in the preparation method, ingredients, and intended use.

1. Type of Soup: Ready-to-Eat, Instant, or Broth?

The first question is how much time you want to spend on preparation.

• Ready-to-eat soup: This is the quickest option for a complete meal. These soups, often packaged as pouched chicken soup or in a can, only need to be heated. They typically already contain vegetables and pieces of chicken.
• Instant chicken soup: This is a powder in a sachet to which you add hot water. It's ideal as a quick, savoury, and often low-calorie snack at the office or while studying.
• Chicken broth: This is a concentrated base used to make your own soup. It gives you the freedom to add your own ingredients and customise the flavour to your liking.

2. Ingredients and Nutritional Value

A look at the label provides a lot of information. Pay attention to the ingredient list and the nutritional facts table. Are you looking for an organic soup? Then check for an official certification mark. If you want a creamy texture, see if cream or cream cheese has been added for a rich flavour, as in a creamy chicken soup. The amount of salt, protein, and calories can vary greatly between products, so compare them based on what's important to you.

Recommended Products to Consider

Based on product features and intended use, we have selected popular choices that meet different needs.

Unox Creamy Chicken Soup - 570 ml

Why it stands out: This ready-to-eat soup from Unox combines convenience with a full, creamy flavour. The addition of cream cheese and tender pieces of chicken makes it a filling meal.

Pros:

• Quick and easy: The soup is ready in minutes, perfect for a busy evening.
• Rich in flavour: The combination of various vegetables and fresh cream cheese creates a creamy texture.
• High in protein: A good source of protein for a nutritious meal. According to the manufacturer, no sugars, artificial colours, or flavour enhancers have been added.

Who is it for? For busy professionals and families who want to put a quick, flavourful, and filling meal on the table without much effort.

View Unox Creamy Chicken Soup

Maggi Chicken Soup - 28 g

Why it stands out: This instant chicken soup from Maggi is designed as an ultra-light and quick snack. With only 9 kcal per serving, it's a choice for those watching their calorie intake.

Pros:

• Very low-calorie: At 9 kcal per serving, this is one of the lightest options for a savoury pick-me-up.
• Convenient portions: Packed in 7 individual sachets, easy to take to work or on the go.
• Ready instantly: Add hot water, stir, and it's ready.

Who is it for? For students, office workers, or anyone who needs a quick, warm, and low-calorie soup as a snack.

View Maggi Chicken Soup

The Smallest Soup Factory Organic Chicken Broth - 400 ml

Why it stands out: This organic soup is actually a pure chicken broth, intended as a high-quality base for your own dishes. The Smallest Soup Factory states that they simmer the broth for 96 hours to extract all the flavours.

Pros:

• Organic ingredients: Made with organic chicken and vegetables, without unnecessary additives.
• Artisanal base: The long simmering time results in a deep, authentic flavour, ideal for the home cook.
• Sustainably produced: The factory in Groningen uses solar energy for its production.

Who is it for? For the conscious home cook who values organic products and is looking for a flavourful, high-quality base to enrich their own soups or other dishes.

View The Smallest Soup Factory Chicken Broth

Looking for Other Options?

If this isn't quite what you're looking for, or if you want to compare different broths yourself, many more varieties are available, from robust broths to complete meal soups.

Discover more in the Chicken Broth category

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the difference between chicken soup and chicken broth? Chicken broth is the base: a clear liquid made by simmering chicken, bones, and vegetables. It is used as a foundation for soups and sauces. Chicken soup is a finished dish. It is often based on broth but also contains fillings such as pieces of chicken, vegetables, and vermicelli.

2. How long can you store ready-to-eat chicken soup? An unopened package of ready-to-eat soup has a long shelf life when stored in a cool, dry place. The exact expiration date is always on the packaging. After opening, the soup can usually be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in a sealed container.

3. Is instant chicken soup a healthy choice? Instant chicken soup is primarily intended as a quick and easy snack. It is often very low in calories, which can be an advantage. However, it typically contains fewer nutrients, such as protein and fibre, than a meal soup or homemade soup. It's a practical choice for a quick pick-me-up, but not as a replacement for a full meal.