Chicken Noodle Soup
A steaming bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup is the best comfort food. This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is easy to make and so flavorful, with tender bites of chicken, vegetables and egg noodles.
Cooking a pot of soup is one of my favorite ways to unwind. The chopping, the sautéing, the delicious aromas that fill your kitchen as the soup simmers on the stove… it’s all so comforting and relaxing. This chicken noodle soup is the kind of cozy, nourishing comfort food that warms you from the inside out. Whether you’re feeling under the weather or are just craving a flavorful, healthy meal, this easy chicken noodle soup recipe always satisfies.
I’ve already shared my go-to Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup recipes, but today we’re going back to the basics with a homemade chicken noodle soup that’s made on the stove top. This warming soup is easy to make, and it’s the best chicken noodle soup recipe I’ve tried. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does!
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Ingredients
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables.
- Onion, Carrots and Celery: This trio of veggies is a classic for building a base layer of flavor in many soup recipes.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic adds delicious flavor.
- Chicken Broth: I recommend using low sodium chicken broth so that you can better control the amount of salt in the soup.
- Seasonings: Dried thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper bring delicious flavor. If you have fresh thyme on hand, feel free to use 8 sprigs of fresh thyme in place of the dried thyme. The leaves will fall off as the soup cooks and you can remove the thyme stems before serving.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts add flavor and lean protein.
- Egg Noodles: The egg noodles cook right in the pot of soup, soaking up delicious flavor as they become tender.
- Fresh Parsley and Fresh Dill: While dry seasonings are an easy way to add flavor to soups, I also like to add fresh herbs to brighten up the flavors. Add fresh herbs at the end of the cook time so that they don’t lose their fresh flavor and bright color.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
The steps to making this homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch are simple. Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below.
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over medium heat.
- Sauté the onion, carrots and celery until they soften. Then add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chicken broth and seasonings.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth and then bring the soup to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
- Remove the chicken to a clean plate, bowl or cutting board. Let it rest for a few minutes and then shred the chicken.
- While the chicken rests, stir the egg noodles into the soup. Simmer for 6-7 minutes, until the egg noodles are just tender. Be careful to not overcook them as they will continue to soften as they sit in the soup.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup, along with the fresh parsley and dill. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- After adding the uncooked chicken breasts to the pot, bring the soup to a boil slowly. Just like when you make poached chicken, if you rush this step the chicken may turn out tough instead of tender.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. The sodium content can vary greatly between brands of chicken broth, so adjust the amount of salt in this recipe to your tastes.
- Adding fresh dill to the cooked soup brightens up the flavors. If you don’t care for dill, feel free to omit it from the recipe.
- Once the soup is done, you may want to add 1-2 cups more broth, depending on how much the noodles soak up as they cook.
- Over time, the noodles will soak up extra broth. If you are planning to make the soup ahead, you may wish to cook the noodles separately and add them to the individual bowls of soup when serving. Or, you can just add more broth to the soup with noodles when serving.
- See my tips for how to shred chicken – I share 3 easy ways!
Storage and Reheating Tips
This soup is a great make ahead meal. It becomes even more delicious over time, as the flavors meld together.
- Refrigerator: Store soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The noodles will soak up some of the broth over time, so have extra broth handy to add when reheating.
- Freezer: You can freeze chicken noodle soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze the soup, it is best to freeze it without the noodles. When you are ready to serve the soup, you can cook the noodles separately and add them to the thawed and reheated soup.
- To Reheat: Reheat in a pot on the stove until simmering, or heat individual servings in the microwave until steaming hot.
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Variations
- Feel free to add a teaspoon of dried oregano or Italian seasoning to the soup before simmering. If doing so, you may wish to omit the fresh dill.
- To make this recipe using a rotisserie chicken, stir 2 cups of the shredded cooked chicken into the soup when you add the egg noodles.
- While I usually make this soup with chicken breasts, boneless chicken thighs are another good option. The cook time will be about the same. You can check that the chicken has cooked through to 165° F using an instant read thermometer. If you prefer to use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, you will need to simmer it a bit longer for it to cook through.
- To make this soup vegetarian, substitute canned chickpeas or white beans for the chicken and use vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.
- Chopped potatoes are a delicious addition to the soup. You can even use them in place of the egg noodles. I recommend using Yukon gold potatoes.
What to Serve with Chicken Noodle Soup
Enjoy this chicken noodle soup with some crusty bread, Dinner Rolls, Garlic Bread, Biscuits or crackers. If you’d like to add a salad to the meal, I recommend a Kale Salad, Green Salad or Italian Salad.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Chicken and Rice Soup
- Chicken Stew
- Vegetable Soup
- Tomato Soup
- Potato Soup
- Butternut Squash Soup
- Split Pea Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
A bowl of this homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is the best comfort food at the end of a long day. It's nourishing, flavorful and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds or half rounds
- 3 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus 1-2 more cups, as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 ounces egg noodles
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften, about 6 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, dried thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaves to the pot. Stir.
- Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth. Slowly bring the soup to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. The chicken should register at least 165° F on an instant read thermometer.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean plate, cutting board or bowl and let it rest for a few minutes. Then shred the chicken.
- Meanwhile, stir the egg noodles into the soup. Increase the heat to medium, cover the pot, and simmer for 6-7 minutes, until noodles are just tender. They will continue to soften as they sit in the soup.
- Remove pot from the heat. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Stir the shredded chicken into the soup, along with the chopped parsley and dill. If the noodles have soaked up a lot of the broth, you can add 1-2 cups more broth. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as desired. Serve.
Notes
- You can substitute 8 sprigs of fresh thyme for the dried thyme. Remove the thyme stems after the soup cooks.
- Soup may be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Over time, the noodles will soak up extra broth. If you are planning to make the soup ahead, you may wish to cook the noodles separately and add them to the individual bowls of soup when serving. Or, you can just add more broth to the soup with noodles when serving.
- You can freeze chicken noodle soup in an airtight container for up to 3 months. If you plan to freeze the soup, it is best to freeze it without the noodles. When you are ready to serve, you can cook the noodles separately and add them to the thawed and reheated soup.
- To make this recipe using a rotisserie chicken, stir 2 cups of the shredded cooked chicken into the soup when you add the egg noodles.
- You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts. The cook time will be about the same. Check that the chicken has cooked through to 165° F using an instant read thermometer. If you prefer to use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs, you will need to simmer it a bit longer for it to cook through.
Calories: 242kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 54mg, Sodium: 467mg, Potassium: 650mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 5364IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 50mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is an estimate.
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