No Water Chicken Soup (Waterless Chicken Soup) Easy and Delicious! | Rice Life Foodie
This No Water Chicken Soup recipe is one of the easiest, one-pot dinners you can make with fall-off-the-bone chicken and a chicken soup that is pure and tasty. With just a whole chicken, cabbage, apples, and few seasonings, the ingredients slowly cook together in a Dutch oven, releasing their own natural juices to create a concentrated chicken broth without adding a single drop of water! It’s very versatile as well. A few more recipe variations are added in this guide so you can switch up the flavors anytime!
This really is my go-to for a family-style meal that is at the top of my effortless list. Waterless chicken or chicken soup without water is that simple because you put everything in one pot and it’s magical… concentrated chicken soup just appears and the whole chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
The chicken and vegetables roast together and do all the work for a set-it-and-forget type of recipe. So if you have people to feed and are busy, this is the answer.
Cabbage becomes silky tender, the apples melt into the broth with a little sweetness, ginger makes a delicious aroma, and the chicken turns juicy.
It’s ultra simple to create very different flavors with this recipe so I added extra recipe variations for you to try.
Let’s go!
You might get to know me in this blog and see that ginger and chicken are one of my favorite combos. Try Arroz Caldo Filipino Chicken and Ginger Rice Soup or Hainan Chicken (Singapore Chicken Rice) for more ultimate cozy meals.
What Is No Water Chicken Soup?
No water chicken soup is exactly what it sounds like, which is a chicken soup made entirely from the natural juices released by the ingredients as they slowly cook together in one pot. The key is including hydrating veggies like cabbage and tightly having the lid on the pot so the chicken creates the flavorful broth.
There is absolutely no water or liquid added. Instead, a whole chicken is baked slowly in a tightly covered Dutch oven with vegetables and aromatics.
As everything cooks, the chicken, cabbage, onion, apple, and ginger release moisture, creating a surprisingly flavorful and clear broth.
You can use other seasonings to create different flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Waterless Chicken Soup
- Rich and naturally flavorful waterless chicken soup
- Light, healthy, yet it’s a comforting and homey dish
- Very few ingredients for a standout meal and can be put together very quickly
- Juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken
- No added broth or water required
- Set it and forget it
- Budget friendly
- A perfect family-style main dish
- Great for meal prep
- Naturally gluten-free
- Cozy and nourishing
- Easy enough for weeknight dinners
- Beautiful enough for family gatherings
Waterless chicken literally shows you how simple ingredients can create an incredibly satisfying meal.
What Does No Water Chicken Soup Taste Like?
The broth is surprisingly light, clear, and flavorful. As the chicken cooks, it releases savory juices that combine with the sweetness of the cabbage, apples, and onions.
Using lots of fresh ginger adds aroma, but doesn’t overpower the soup.
I added jujubes which contain natural sweetness that complements the savory broth.
The result is a clean chicken soup that tastes like homemade chicken broth.
If you want it more savory, it’s easy to add miso paste, herbs, spices, and peppers for completely new and fun flavors to make your no water chicken.
Best Vegetables to make No Water Chicken Soup
Hands down, the best veggies to use to make no water chicken soup would be cabbage and hydrating squash like chayote (sayote) squash. These emit a lot of water and add texture. While they become very soft… they add flavor and go well with the chicken broth.
Like I said, these two types of vegetables have a lot of water inside them, so it adds to making the chicken broth liquid.
Use cabbage, squash, and apples as main ingredients to the chicken.
As complements you can add bits of potato or carrot, but keep in mind that the slow cook of the chicken makes all the vegetables soft so you’ll want to add certain veggies (especially any greens) in later in the cooking process if you want them colorful and with a bite.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 lbs – 1 whole chicken (small to medium size); the entire chicken, not cut into pieces. Using the entire chicken releases flavorful juices and creates the concentrated broth without needing additional liquid.
- 1 head green cabbage – chopped into large chunks; the cabbage becomes very soft and releases juices to make the chicken soup tasty and adds volume
- 1 large Fuji apple – cubed; adds natural sweetness
- 1 small onion – cut into chunks; seasons and adds aroma
- 3 tablespoons fresh julienned ginger – important aromatic and flavor to the broth
- 6–9 dried jujubes (red dates) – Jujubes are commonly used in Asian soups. They add a gentle sweetness and subtle earthy flavor that enhances the broth.
- Salt
- White pepper
Optional Dipping Sauce
- Sliced scallions
- Minced garlic or ginger
- Hot oil
- Soy sauce
- Chili flakes or chili oil
Equipment Needed
- Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid – or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid
- Ladle
- Knife
- Cutting board
How to Make No Water Chicken Soup
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- In a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid, layer the onions, some of the ginger, and some of the apples. Sprinkle a little salt.
- Next, place the entire chicken on top and stuff it into the pot. Add salt and pepper all around the chicken.
- Then, add all the cabbage around the chicken, and stuff the cabbage as much as you can all around the chicken.
- Stuff in the remaining apples. Sprinkle the ginger all over the top of the chicken and place the jujubees around the top.
- Place the lid on the Dutch oven, making sure it fits completely snugly to trap the steam.
- Bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes. At this time you can make the simple Asian dipping sauce by mixing the scallions and ginger or garlic with hot oil. Then add soy sauce and chili flakes.
- Remove from the oven and rest the chicken ten minutes to trap juices. Serve by simply spooning the fork-tender chicken and the chicken soup liquid into a bowl with a ladle.
- Have sides of dipping sauce, steamed rice, or other sides of choice.
Best Tips
- Use a heavy Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid to trap all of the natural steam.
- Don’t be tempted to add water because the vegetables and chicken release plenty of liquid. It’s going to be a wonderfully concentrated chicken soup, so adding water will make it too watery and less tasty.
- Pack the cabbage tightly into the pot since it cooks down considerably. Remember, all the veggies will shrink down.
- Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving to keep it juicy.
- Season the chicken well with salt and some pepper. Adjust seasoning after cooking if needed with touch more salt if you like.
- Fresh ginger provides the best flavor and aroma.
- Use a whole chicken rather than pieces for the most liquid and the richest broth.
Foodie Elevation Tip
Buy the whole chicken the same day. The fresher the better, more juicy, and clear the broth will be.
Add-Ins and Variations
Using Different Vegetables
In ADDITION to cabbage or chayote, which are the best hydrating vegetables for this no-water recipe… you can add these in:
- Daikon radish
- Mushrooms
- Carrots
- Malunggay (moringa leaves), watercress, spinach, bok choy, or basil
- cubes of potatoes
- Garlic
- Lemongrass
- Herbs and Spices
More No Water Chicken Soup Recipe Flavors
Korean Style No Water Chicken Soup
For a Korean-inspired version, add:
- 6–8 peeled chestnuts
- 1–2 small ginseng roots
- 2 garlic cloves
- Extra jujubes
- More fresh ginger
Serve with kimchi and steamed rice for a comforting meal inspired by samgyetang (chicken ginseng soup).
Filipino No Water Chicken Soup (Tinola Style)
For a Filipino twist, add:
- 3-4 chayote squash instead of cabbage, peeled and cut into chunks
- A dash of fish sauce
- Fresh malunggay leaves or watercress stirred in during the last few minutes of cooking
Serve with steamed jasmine rice and calamansi on the side. Inspired by tinola soup.
Japanese Miso No Water Chicken Soup
Before placing the chicken in the Dutch oven, rub it with:
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
The miso glaze adds a umami flavor while the natural juices create an awesome miso chicken soup broth.
Serve with steamed rice and sliced green onions. Inspired by miso soup without dashi.
Lemongrass No Water Chicken Soup
For amazing aroma, add:
- Include a cup of lemongrass stalks, cut in 3″ pieces all over the chicken and underneath it so it releases lots of aroma. How to use lemongrass for cooking will really elevate this recipe.
- Rub coconut cream around the chicken before adding it, with a few extra spoons of coconut cream in the pot.
Serve with steamed jasmine rice or coconut rice on the side. Inspired by Thai coconut lemongrass chicken soup.
Serving Suggestions
No water chicken soup can be eaten as is, served in a bowl with broth, the chicken, and a simple dipping sauce or rice on the side.
Also try:
- Garlic chili dipping sauce
- Asian scallion soy dipping sauce
- Kimchi
- Pickled vegetables
- Crusty baguette or rolls
Storage and Leftovers
Refrigerator
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer
Freeze the chicken and broth in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Keep in mind, that thawing and reheating will make the chicken less tender this way.
Reheating
Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or microwave until heated through. The liquid may be reabsorbed into the chicken and vegetables so if you have lots of leftovers, remove the wilted vegetables so most of the liquid is left.
FAQs
How does chicken soup cook without water?
The chicken, cabbage, onions, apples, and other ingredients naturally release moisture as they cook inside the covered Dutch oven. The trapped steam and liquid released from the chicken and veggies create a concentrated broth without adding any water or stock.
Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?
Yes, but a whole chicken produces the richest broth and the most tender meat, allowing for more slow cooking time, which is the time needed to extract the liquid from the meat and veggies.
Do I really not need to add any water?
That’s right! As long as your Dutch oven has a tight-fitting lid, the ingredients create plenty of liquid on their own.
Can I make this in a slow cooker?
This recipe is designed for a Dutch oven in the oven, but it can be adapted for a slow cooker. The broth will be a bit less because more evaporation occurs in the slow cooker, and it would take almost 8 hours to cook the whole chicken in a slow cooker. With that said, the chicken soup in a slow cooker would be very tender and delicious and requires very minimal prep.
What do jujubes add to the soup?
Jujubes, also called red dates, add a mild sweetness and subtle earthy flavor that complements the chicken and ginger without overpowering the soup. They are yummy to eat. It’s also optional (I added a few recipe variations up top).
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, but the best flavor, texture, liquid, and tenderness is to eat this recipe freshly made. The leftovers will be slightly less tender the next day.
What should I serve with no water chicken soup?
Steamed rice, a simple scallion dipping sauce, kimchi, or pickled vegetables all pair beautifully with this comforting soup.
- Dutch Oven with a tight-fitting lid – or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid
ladle
Knife and cutting board
- 2 ½ lbs 1 whole chicken small to medium size; the entire chicken
- 1 head green cabbage chopped chunky
- 1 large Fuji apple cubed
- 1 small onion chopped into chunks
- 3 tablespoons fresh julienned ginger
- 6 dried jujubes red dates
- 1½ tsp Salt to taste
- 1 tsp White pepper to taste
Optional Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbsp Sliced scallions
- 1 tbsp Minced garlic or ginger
- 2 tbsp Hot oil
- 3½ tbsp Soy sauce
- Chili flakes or chili oil
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Then, in a Dutch Oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid, layer the onions, some of the ginger, and some of the apples. Sprinkle a little salt.
1 small onion , 1 large Fuji apple
Next, place the entire chicken on top and stuff it into the pot. Add salt and pepper all around the chicken.
2 ½ lbs 1 whole chicken, 1½ tsp Salt, 1 tsp White pepper
- Then, add all the cabbage around the chicken, and stuff the cabbage as much as you can all around the chicken.Stuff in the remaining apples. Sprinkle the ginger all over the top of the chicken and place the jujubees around the top.Place the lid on the Dutch oven, making sure it fits completely snugly to trap the steam.
1 head green cabbage , 3 tablespoons fresh julienned ginger , 6 dried jujubes
Bake for 1 hour and 50 minutes. At this time you can make the simple Asian dipping sauce by mixing the scallions and ginger or garlic with hot oil. Then add soy sauce and chili flakes.
1 tbsp Sliced scallions, 1 tbsp Minced garlic or ginger, 2 tbsp Hot oil, 3½ tbsp Soy sauce, Chili flakes or chili oil
- Remove from the oven and rest the chicken ten minutes to trap juices. Serve by simply spooning the fork-tender chicken and the chicken soup liquid into a bowl with a ladle.Have sides of dipping sauce, steamed rice, or other sides of choice.
Buy the whole chicken fresh as possible for more tender and juicy outcome.
If you’re looking, you’re not cooking! Do Not open the lid during cooking process. Allow the slow cook time to do it’s magic to tenderize and release the juices.
Nutrition Facts
No Water Chicken Soup
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
