How long it takes: 15 minutes to prep, 50 minutes to simmer Equipment you’ll need: large pot Servings: 6 (makes about 8 cups)
Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Flavorful: I cook whole juicy chicken thighs right in the broth before shredding them to add back into the soup. Simmering bone-in chicken alongside the aromatics and veggies gives the soup base tons of flavor. Quick: This chicken noodle soup calls for a little over 30 minutes of simmering but tastes as though it’s been slow-cooked for hours. Versatile: There are so many ways that you can adapt this classic chicken noodle soup depending on what you like and what you have on hand. Homemade soups are also wonderful recipes for using up leftovers!
Ingredient Notes
This recipe uses classic ingredients to pack plenty of flavor into a satisfying bowl of chicken noodle soup! I’ll start you off with some notes on what you’ll need.
Onion, Carrot, and Celery – This trio of diced vegetables, sauteed in butter, forms an aromatic flavor base for the soup. Garlic – Feel free to adapt the number of fresh garlic cloves to taste. Add more for a garlicky broth. Chicken – I use bone-in chicken thighs for this chicken soup. Any bone-in chicken works best. Boneless chicken breasts or thighs tend to overcook. Chicken Stock – If you’re using low-sodium chicken broth or chicken stock, you may need to increase the amount of added salt in the recipe. Herbs and Seasonings – Bay leaf, dried or fresh thyme, plus salt and pepper. Noodles – I like to use wide egg noodles. Egg noodles are the classic choice for chicken noodle soup, but just about any type of short-cut pasta can be used instead, such as elbow, penne, fusilli, orzo, etc. Parsley – Fresh chopped parsley, stirred in at the end of cooking, brightens up the flavors. Another fresh herb, like basil, cilantro, or oregano, also works here.
How To Make Chicken Noodle Soup
This easy homemade chicken noodle soup comes together easily on the stovetop. All you need is one pot. Here’s a short step-by-step showing just how simple it is! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for printable instructions. Sauté: Start by adding the diced onion, carrots, and celery to a large pot with melted butter. Sauté until the veggies are softened. Stir in minced garlic. Combine: Nestle the chicken thighs into the pot, and pour in the stock. Toss in your bay leaf, then stir in the thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring the pot to a boil. Simmer: Lower the heat, place a lid over the pot, and simmer the soup for about 30 minutes. Shred the chicken: When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it or dice it. Leave it aside for now. Cook the noodles: Meanwhile, bring the soup back to a boil and add your egg noodles. Finish and serve: When the noodles are tender, add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Pluck out the bay leaf and stir in some fresh parsley. Finally, season to taste, and serve!
Recipe Notes
I’ve been making this family-favorite chicken noodle soup for ages and it never disappoints! These are a few tips for great soup that I’ve picked up along the way: Use chicken thighs. Dark meat stays tender and produces a better, more flavorful homemade chicken noodle soup. Even boneless chicken thighs will work, keeping in mind the cooking time will be shorter. While you could use chicken breast, it doesn’t tenderize or shred as nicely. Use good quality chicken stock/broth. Homemade chicken stock is always my first choice. Bone broth works too, just make sure that the stock or broth you’re using is high-quality. When it comes to store-bought, I’ve found that the darker the color, the better the stock. Increase the amount of stock if you like soup with more broth. Keep the soup at a simmer. Once you’ve lowered the heat, keep the chicken soup at a slow but steady simmer. Make sure that you don’t put the temperature too low, otherwise the chicken won’t cook through. Check the chicken for doneness. After 30 minutes of simmering, check that the chicken thighs are cooked using an instant-read thermometer. The internal temperature should read 175ºF. Season generously. I recommend seasoning soups in small amounts and often, starting early. This way, you can adjust the salt and pepper to taste as you go. Add umami. If you find that your chicken noodle soup is lacking flavor, try adding a dash of umami-rich soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or fish sauce.
Possible Recipe Variations
There’s more than one way to make a delicious pot of homemade chicken noodle soup! You can adapt this soup using the ingredients you have in the fridge. Here are easy variations that you can try:
No noodles. Add diced potatoes, sweet potatoes, or chopped butternut squash in place of egg noodles. You can also use cooked grains like quinoa, farro, or rice. You might also like chicken barley soup, chicken rice soup, creamy chicken rice soup, or crockpot chicken wild rice soup. Another variation is chicken tortellini soup with kale. Add green power. Stri in ½ to 1 cup of frozen green peas to the soup along with the shredded chicken. You can also wilt in baby spinach or chopped kale. Different herbs. Customize this soup with different fresh or dried herbs such as rosemary, oregano, or chives. Mexican-style. Add diced tomatoes, swap the chopped cilantro for the parsley, and squeeze in fresh lime juice. Top your soup with avocado and crispy tortilla strips like I do in this chicken tortilla soup. Add pesto. Stir in a couple of spoonfuls of homemade basil pesto for more flavor. Add lemon. Give this soup a squeeze of lemon before serving. Fresh lemon juice is a great way to give chicken noodle soup more flavor. You can also add 3 to 4 lemon slices to simmer in the broth for lemon chicken soup (check out my lemon chicken orzo soup). Make it in the Instant Pot. If you’re looking for an excuse to use your multi-cooker, check out my Instant Pot chicken noodle soup recipe.
Can I Make This Soup With Cooked Chicken?
Yes! If you have a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken that’s already cooked, chop it up to add to the soup instead. In this case, rather than adding whole chicken thighs to the pot, simply stir in 2 to 3 cups of diced or shredded chicken at the same time that you add the egg noodles. It’s not quite as flavorful as simmering uncooked chicken in the stock, but you can use this method with roasted chicken, poached chicken, or any cooked chicken you have (whether it’s bone-in or boneless). If you’re using frozen chicken, defrost it beforehand. Canned chicken will work in a pinch, too.
Serving Ideas
I love serving homemade chicken noodle soup with hunks of crusty Dutch oven bread or a fresh baguette from the bakery (don’t skip the dipping oil!). For an easy weeknight meal with the kids, soup with a side of soft pretzel bites or Texas toast garlic bread is always a hit. For heartier meals, pair the chicken noodle soup with an air fryer grilled cheese or roasted vegetable wrap and a side of sweet potato fries or arugula salad.
Make-Ahead Tips
If you’d like to make this chicken noodle soup in advance, omit the noodles and save that step for later. Prepare the chicken soup as directed, right up until the step to add the egg noodles. Instead, cool the soup and then refrigerate it airtight (or freeze it). When you’re ready, boil the egg noodles separately. Meanwhile, bring the soup to a simmer. Once the noodles are cooked, add them to the soup and finish with parsley.
Storing & Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerate: Leftover chicken noodle soup can be stored in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. If you’re not planning to serve this soup right away, consider holding off on adding the noodles (see my Make-Ahead Tips above). Reheat: To reheat chicken noodle soup, warm servings in the microwave or a saucepan on the stovetop until the soup is heated. The noodles will soak up more liquid as the soup sits so you may need to add more broth or water. Freeze: The best way to freeze this chicken soup is without the egg noodles (see above). However, you can freeze leftovers with noodles in a pinch. Freeze the soup in a freezer safe container for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
