Nothing beats a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup on a chilly night! This dish has tender chicken, hearty veggies, and well-seasoned egg noodles. It is a classic comfort food that brings cozy goodness in every bite!
Want an easier way to make this recipe? Try my Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup or Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup! Same comforting flavors, just made with different appliances to fit your schedule. Click to find your perfect cooking method!
I’ve made this recipe thousands of times for my family because it’s my absolute favorite soup in the world. Even my husband, who isn’t usually a big fan of soup, loves this one! My friends and neighbors enjoy making it too—they always send me pictures, which is so cute.
So trust me when I say this classic chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food. As the colder days roll in, a warm, cozy bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup will be your best companion!
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken Thighs — I’ve tested this recipe with both boneless, skinless chicken breasts and chicken thighs. Both work well, but chicken thighs are my favorite. Their higher fat content adds extra richness and depth of flavor to the soup, making it even more delicious!
- Low sodium chicken broth — I used my homemade chicken broth, but store-bought works just as well. You can also use bone broth or vegetable broth—They’re a great option for this recipe! Remember to use low-sodium options. This helps you control the salt in your soup and keeps it from being too salty.
- Fresh Vegetables — A classic mirepoix of white onion, carrots, and celery creates a rich, flavorful base for this soup. These simple ingredients add depth and a natural sweetness to every bite!
- Spiraled Egg Noodles — I’ve tried this recipe with different types of noodles, like fettuccine-style egg noodles, small shells, fusilli, and even broken spaghetti. But my preference is egg noodles because they have a tender texture, soak up the broth’s flavors beautifully, and pair perfectly with the chicken and vegetables, making them a classic choice for chicken noodle soup.
Let’s make homemade Chicken noodle Soup
- 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 your flavorful 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 is fully cooked.
- 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.
- Add salt/pepper slowly and taste test until perfectly seasoned.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chives or fresh parsley. You can also crumble saltine crackers on top or provide a side of garlic bread for dipping, if desired.
Chicken Noodle Soup Variations
Seasonings: Feel free to play around with fresh 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.
More Chicken Soup to Try:
Want an easier way to make this recipe? Try my Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup or Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup! Same comforting flavors, just made with different appliances to fit your schedule. Click to find your perfect cooking method!
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
- Make this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe even quickly by buying pre-shredded or rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. It also works with leftover chicken.
- You do not need to cook the noodles separately before adding them to the soup. They’ll cook quickly in the simmering broth.
- 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.
- Also remember to season gradually: Taste as you go! Start with a little salt and pepper and adjust to your liking. Adding seasoning gradually ensures the perfect balance without overpowering the flavors.
- Recipe adapted from Once Upon a Chef site.
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 Ribas 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 Ribas 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 Ribas 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
Joan Castine says
I found that there were too many noodles for the amount of broth. Next time I will add fewer. also, I think I will add more chicken to the soup. It was very tasty and easy to make. Do you think white meat will get too dry?
Olivia Ribas says
Thanks for your comment! My family and I actually prefer it with lots of noodles, but it’s great that the recipe is easy to adjust to your taste. Adding more chicken sounds perfect! White meat can work too—just keep an eye on it so it doesn’t overcook and dry out. So glad you enjoyed it! 😊🍜