Nothing beats a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup on a chilly night! Packed with tender chicken, hearty veggies, and perfectly seasoned egg noodles, this classic comfort dish is pure cozy goodness in every bite!
If you prefer, you can also make this Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup or this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.
This easy and delicious chicken noodle soup is perfect on a busy weeknight. You can get it on the table in just 45 minutes. Plus, leftovers make for an easy lunch the next day.
I’ve made this recipe many times over the years, and it keeps getting better with each preparation. When I make this soup, my whole family can’t get enough of it. And even my friends who’ve tried the recipe absolutely love it too!
So trust me when I say that this soup recipe is truly exceptional comfort food with incredible flavor. As the colder days approach, a comforting bowl of chicken noodle soup will be your go-to companion.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken thighs — Boneless skinless chicken breast meat will also work, though thighs tend to have more fat which adds extra flavor to your soup.
- Salt and ground black pepper — Simple and classic seasonings. Feel free to add others if you feel inspired.
- Extra virgin olive oil — Avocado, coconut or vegetable oil can be substituted.
- Low sodium chicken broth — I used my homemade chicken broth, but store-bought works just as well. You can also use vegetable broth—it’s a great option for this recipe!
- Fresh vegetables — White onion, carrots and celery make up the mirepoix, which adds amazing flavor to this soup.
- Bay leaves — This herb adds extra flavor to your broth, remove it before serving.
- Spiraled egg noodles — Straight, fettuccine style egg noodles/pasta will also work.
- Chives — Fresh chopped chives add fantastic flavor to this soup. You can also use other fresh herbs like parsley or dill.
Let’s make homemade Chicken noodle Soup
Season and sear chicken:
- Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Measure olive oil into a large stockpot or Dutch oven and place on medium-high heat.
- Once oil is shimmering, place chicken thighs in the pot (skin side down). Cook for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown.
- Mix in your diced onion, carrots and celery and sauté for 3-5 minutes.
- Add broth and increase heat to high.
- Stir in chopped chives and bay leaf.
- Cover the pot and allow ingredients to come to a boil.
- Once the mixture boils, lower the heat and simmer it for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken cooks through.
Shred chicken and cook noodles:
- Discard bay leaf and remove thighs from the pot.
- Place chicken on a cutting board and use forks to shred into small pieces. You can throw the chicken skin and bones away, or save them to make homemade stock at a later time.
- Now bring your soup back to boiling and add egg noodles. Cook, uncovered, until noodles soften. Last, add shredded chicken back to the pot and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
Should you cook the noodles before adding them to the soup? You do not need to cook your noodles before adding them to the soup recipe. They’ll cook quickly in the simmering broth.
Serve:
- Add salt/pepper slowly and taste test until perfectly seasoned.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with more fresh chives. You can also crumble saltine crackers on top or provide a side of garlic bread for dipping, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Make this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe even quickly by buying pre-shredded or rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.
- Dice onion, carrot, and celery into small and even pieces, so that you get a little of each in every bite.
- Overcooking chicken can make it tough and more difficult to shred. Once you add all the ingredients and the soup boils, lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Remove the chicken as soon as it is cooked through.
- Be careful not to overcook your egg noodles. They won’t take long to soften and can become mushy when boiled for too long.
- Be careful with the salt. Chicken broth already has sodium. Add salt a pinch at a time, and taste test along the way until you reach the desired flavor.
Chicken Noodle Soup Variations
Seasonings: Feel free to play around with herbs, seasonings and spices. Try adding some garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried rosemary or fresh thyme. You can also squeeze a little bit of lemon juice.
Add heat: If you like spicy food, add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes or a splash of hot sauce.
Veggies: Add more vegetables to your soup. Think green beans, green peas, cabbage, kale, spinach or even mushrooms.
Make it creamy: Stir in a splash of half-and-half or heavy cream.
How To Store Leftovers
To store: Allow leftovers to cool completely and transfer them to an airtight food-storage container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days.
To freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the noodles will not maintain good taste or texture once thawed. What you can do is make chicken soup without noodles, add to a freezer-safe container and freeze it for up to 6 months! Then, remove from the freezer, reheat in a pot on the stovetop and add noodles once boiling.
What’s the Best Pasta for This Recipe?
Egg Noodles: The best pasta to use is typically egg noodles. Egg noodles are a classic choice for chicken noodle soup. They have a tender texture, absorb the flavors of the soup well, and complement the chicken and vegetables.
Other kind of pastas: You can use other type of noddles like small shells, fusilli, or broken spaghetti, each offering a unique texture or shape. Ultimately, it’s all about your personal preference.
If you’re looking for more chicken soup recipes, I’ve got you covered! Make sure to try my Instant Pot Southwest Chicken Soup, Chicken Vegetable Soup, or this amazing Sweet Potato Chicken Soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken thighs trimmed of excess skin or fat
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium white onion chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tablespoons chives chopped
- 5 ounces 3 cups wide egg noodles
Instructions
- First, season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper. In a Dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chicken thighs to the pot, skin-side down, and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until browned.
- Add diced onion, carrots and celery to the same pot. Mix vegetables together with the chicken and sauté 3-5 minutes.
- Add broth and increase heat to high. Stir in chopped chives and bay leaf, then cover the pot and bring ingredients to a boil. Once the mixture boils, reduce the heat to low and simmer it for 15-20 minutes until the chicken cooks fully.
- Discard the bay leaf and remove chicken from the pot using tongs. Place it on a cutting board. Then, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces using 2 forks. Discard the skin and bones or save them to make chicken broth at a later time.
- Bring the soup back to a boil over medium-high heat and add the egg noodles. Cook, uncovered, until noodles are al dente or according to your taste. Note that the noodles will continue to cook for a few minutes while you warm the chicken.
- Add shredded chicken back to the soup and cook over medium heat for 2 or 3 minutes.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste, add some chopped chives and serve warm.
Tips
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
Olena says
I made this chicken noodle soup for my family last night and everyone loved it! Even my parents said it was the best soup ever!
Olivia says
Right? My family loves it too. Thank you so much for stopping by and letting your comment. I appreciate it a lot 😉
Suzy says
How do you keep your egg noodles from soaking up all your broth when stored?
Olivia says
Al Dente Noodles: Cook the egg noodles al dente, slightly undercooking them. They will continue to absorb moisture as they sit in the broth, so undercooking will help maintain their texture when you reheat them.
Jodi Davis says
I have not made this yet because it looks a bit greasy. Is the skin necessary on the thighs?
Thank you!
Olivia says
No it’s not necessary but the skin adds a lot of flavor to the soup in my opinion. But it’s totally optional.
Joyce says
Looking for recipes to make for someone with enlarged liver