How long does chicken soup last In the fridge? Nothing is better than a bowl of warm, hearty chicken soup to warm up or when you feel a head cold coming on.
How long soup can stay in the fridge will be determined by what is actually in the soup.
Dairy products will shorten the time, along with spinach, which wilts and goes soggy.
If you are following a recipe, most will indicate how long the soup can stay safe.
If not, use your sense of taste and smell to tell you when something isn’t right.
Soup can be eaten as much or as little as you like if made with healthy ingredients.
Eat it chunky or run it through the vitamiser if you want a smooth soup.
You can eat soup as an entrée, main meal, or a snack when you hit that 3 pm fatigue.
How Long Does Chicken Soup Last In The Fridge?
Chicken soup lasts for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Always smell and taste the chicken first. Clear chicken broth soups with acidity ingredients like tomatoes can last 5-6 days. Creamy soups can safely be enjoyed for up to 3 days but no longer. All this is true if your fridge is set to 40ºF or lower.
How To Store Soup In The Fridge Safely
You need to not only keep chicken in the fridge to ensure it is safe for eating but how you store it is important too.
Food like chicken soup must be cooled down before being put in the fridge.
This is easier to do when you have smaller lots of soup. When food takes longer to cool, there comes a greater risk of spoiling.
If you want to cool the chicken soup down quickly, you can place your soup in a container and then fill that container with ice water.
Stir now and again, which will help you to speed things up.
Once you think the soup is sitting at room temperature, you can go ahead and divide, cover, and pop in the fridge.
Can You Freeze Chicken Soup
When storing chicken soup, you can freeze it if you have plenty that you won’t use in time.
The cream-based soups are not the best for freezing as the dairy can separate.
When it separates, it is still safe to eat; it just doesn’t look as appealing.
Noodles in the soup can also become soggy when thawed, but if that doesn’t worry, you do it.
When it comes to freezing soups, it is essential that you use freezer-safe bags.
When using bags, ensure you have space at the top for expansion.
It is also a good idea to write the date and the contents so you know how long it has been in the freezer.
The bags work well as they can be stored flat to allow more room in the freezer.
Another idea is to stack the bags into containers that can sit on each other in the freezer easily.
You can write on the front of the container to see the details easily when you open the door.
How To Reheat Chicken Soup
Soup that has been stored in the fridge is easy to reheat whether you do it in the microwave or on the stovetop.
If you are defrosting the frozen soup, this should be done in the fridge, not on the kitchen bench.
It is important that you don’t reheat the same portion more than one time.
You only want to take out the amount you will eat and keep the rest cold.
This is why you should only freeze meal-size amounts, as once it is defrosted, you cannot refreeze.
Remember, when you reheat a chicken soup with a clear broth base, you need to boil it for three minutes when heating.
This will kill off any bad bacteria growing. Soup is easy to bring to the boil as you don’t have the risk of scorching it.
If your chicken soup has cream or flour in it, it can over-reduce. This will give you a cloudy or extra thick soup.
Take out the amount you are going to eat, then pop it in a pot and bring it to a boil.
Now reduce the heat and simmer for a total of three minutes. Then serve hot with some fresh buttered bread and chives.
Conclusion
There are so many benefits to homemade soup. You get to choose what to put in and what to leave out.
Add your favorite veggies or the most nutritious ones if you suffer a cold or flu.
The fact making your soup is more economical is very satisfying.
Make a big batch store what you don’t eat for the next few meals.
You can even freeze soup to have it whenever you want.
Chicken broth soup warms your body, aids in hydration, and is rich in minerals and vitamins.
If you have just recovered from gastro or are suffering from the flu, soup is your best friend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Should Chicken Soup Cool Before Refrigerating?
It is a good idea to let it cool for 30 minutes before popping it in the fridge. Separate into small containers to help it cool faster.
How Do You Know If Chicken Soup Is Bad?
Chicken broth soup will smell sour and have sediments on the bottom of the container. Soups with cream will appear watery, separated, and slimy.