If your chicken noodle soup experience has been limited to a little red-labeled can, I beg you to try my homemade version! This soup has the power to cure whatever ails you, and the flavor to be a filling and delicious dinner.
My method pulls double duty; the chicken cooks in the broth, fortifying it with extra layers of richness and flavor.
And since these are egg noodles, please feel free to treat yourself to a nice piece of buttery garlic bread to sop up all the delicious leftover broth.
The Best Chicken to Use to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
For this soup, I use a mix of chicken pieces from breasts to thighs and drumsticks, it’s a great way to use up a whole chicken or get a great depth of flavor in the soup.
Using only breasts won’t give you the best flavor as they are a very lean cut of chicken and can also dry out easily.
If you add in thighs and drumsticks you’ll get so much more flavor!
How to Prep Ahead
To speed things up you can use a (3-4 cups) rotisserie chicken instead of browning raw chicken pieces.
Because you won’t get the depth of flavor from the browning you may need an extra pinch of salt to compensate.
Also, make sure to add the shredded chicken just in at the very end!
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
1. Brown the chicken in batches and set aside.
2. Add the celery or fennel and onion and saute until soft. Add the garlic and then the wine and stir.
3. Add the rest of the veggies, stock, lemon, thyme, and bay and chicken to the pot and simmer.
4. Remove the chicken to shred, add the noodles and cook them in the soup. Once ready add the shredded chicken and extra herbs, serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chicken Noodle Soup Good for You?
Yes, this homemade chicken noodle soup is packed full of nutrition and is great on a chilly day or to nip a cold in the bud!
Make sure to use high-quality, low sodium chicken stock for best results.
What Can I Add to Chicken Noodle Soup for More Flavor?
This chicken noodle soup is packed with flavor because it’s made from scratch with delicious, bold flavors such as white wine, good quality chicken stock, fresh veggies, and aromatic herbs.
One tip, don’t forget the lemon zest it adds a ton of delicious flavor and really makes a difference!
What Can I Replace the Noodles with?
If you don’t want to add noodles you can replace them with potato or another vegetable such as cauliflower.
Can I Freeze this Soup?
Yes, this soup freezes beautifully but If you’re making this with a plan to freeze it then don’t add the noodles and wait until you’ve thawed it out and ready to reheat.
As noodles sit in liquid they swell and lose their texture so it’s best to not add them when freezing.
Top Tips for Making Chicken Noodle Soup
- The chicken in this recipe is entirely up to you! But here’s a secret—if you want to add big flavor, be sure to include some skin-on pieces. When you brown the chicken in the first step, it will render out some flavorful chicken fat, which will add rich flavor to the onions and vegetables when you cook them. The added fat is minimal, but the flavor return is huge.
- You can use celery or fennel in this recipe. Some people have strong feelings about fennel because when raw, it has a sharp licorice flavor. But when you cook it, that flavor mellows considerably, and it becomes yet another rich layer in the stock.
- If you’d like a make-ahead moment, prepare the stock through the step where you remove the chicken. Let both the chicken and the stock cool, and refrigerate overnight. Just before you’re ready to eat, bring the stock to a simmer, add the noodles, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
More Delicious Soups to Try;
If you’ve tried this Chicken Noodle Soup then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 3 lbs. chicken pieces such as breasts, thighs, or drumsticks
- 1 tsp. kosher salt plus additional, to taste
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onion
- 1 cup chopped celery or fennel
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 cups thinly sliced carrots
- 8 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus additional for garnish
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 6 oz. dried egg noodles
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley plus additional for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
- Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Add chicken to pan. Cook (in batches, if needed) until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- Transfer chicken to a plate. Add onion and fennel to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic; cook 2 minutes. Add wine to pan, stirring to scrape up browned bits.
- Stir in carrots, stock, bay leaves, thyme, and lemon. Return chicken to pan.
- Increase heat to medium-high to bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low.
- Cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pan; let cool slightly.
- Increase heat to medium-high to bring soup back to a simmer. Add noodles; cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
- Shred chicken; stir into pot with parsley and dill. Taste, and add salt, if desired.
- Garnish servings with additional fresh herbs.
Notes
- The chicken in this recipe is entirely up to you! But here’s a secret—if you want to add big flavor, be sure to include some skin-on pieces. When you brown the chicken in the first step, it will render out some flavorful chicken fat, which will add rich flavor to the onions and vegetables when you cook them. The added fat is minimal, but the flavor return is huge.
- You can use celery or fennel in this recipe. Some people have strong feelings about fennel, because when raw, it has a sharp licorice flavor. But when you cook it, that flavor mellows considerably, and it becomes yet another rich layer in the stock.
- If you’d like a make-ahead moment, prepare the stock through the step where you remove the chicken. Let both the chicken and the stock cool, and refrigerate overnight. Just before you’re ready to eat, bring the stock to a simmer, add the noodles, and proceed with the recipe as directed.
