Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Classic chicken noodle soup with tender chicken thighs, egg noodles and plenty of vegetables in a golden broth. Comfort in a bowl in under an hour.
30% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 330
- Protein
- 31 g
- Per serving
- $2.33
Why this recipe works
This is the soup for sick days, snow days and any day that needs it. It uses store-bought broth, so it fits a weeknight, but simmering the chicken in it gives it real body.
- Chicken thighs stay tender and add more flavor to the broth than breasts.
- Cooking the noodles in the soup only at the end keeps them from turning mushy.
- A spoonful of lemon juice at the finish makes boxed broth taste homemade.
Ingredients
You will need
- Large Dutch oven or soup pot
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter with the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until the onion is soft.
Add aromatics
Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
Simmer the chicken
Add the bay leaf, broth, chicken and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook until the chicken is very tender.
Shred the chicken
Lift out the chicken and shred it with two forks. Discard the bay leaf.
Cook the noodles
Bring the soup back to a boil, add the noodles and cook until tender. Return the chicken, add the parsley and lemon juice, and season to taste.
Techniques in this recipe
- Fish and seafood145°F / 63°C
- Pork chops, tenderloin, whole cuts of beef145°F / 63°C
- Ground beef, pork and sausage160°F / 71°C
- Chicken and turkey (all cuts)165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- If you plan on leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl; noodles stored in soup keep soaking up broth.
- Taste before serving. Store-bought broths vary, and soup usually needs a little more salt than you expect.
- Freezes for 3 months without the noodles.
Nutrition per serving
330 calories
$2.33 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 39% of calories | 31 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 34% of calories | 27 g |
| Fat | 28% of calories | 10 g |
| Fiber | 2 g | |
| Sodium | 1200 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why do my noodles get mushy?
Noodles keep absorbing broth as they sit. Cook them right before serving, or cook and store them separately from the soup.
Can I make it with a rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Simmer the vegetables in the broth for 15 minutes, then add 3 to 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the noodles.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Cook everything except the noodles, parsley and lemon on low for 6 hours. Shred the chicken, then add the noodles and cook on high for 15 minutes.
