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Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
published Jan 2, 2024
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This cozy classic has everything you love and cooks in just 30 minutes.
Serves6 to 8Makesabout 10 cupsPrep15 minutesCook25 minutes to 30 minutesJump to Recipe
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There is nothing more comforting than chicken noodle soup. I’ve made this classic soup every which way: creamy chicken noodle soup, slow cooker chicken noodle soup, and instant pot chicken noodle soup. This easy stovetop method is the one I keep coming back to. It has everything you expect from classic chicken noodle soup: a bright, rich-flavored broth, juicy pieces of chicken, thick-cut vegetables, and tender egg noodles. Best of all, the upfront prep is minimal and the soup cooks in just 30 minutes.
Ingredients in Chicken Noodle Soup
- Rotisserie chicken. Not only does using rotisserie chicken for chicken noodle soup make this fast and easy, but it ensures that the chicken is flavorful, juicy, tender, and won’t be overcooked or dry.
- Unsalted butter or olive oil. Butter adds a nice touch of richness to the soup, though if you’d prefer to keep it dairy-free, olive oil works well as a substitute.
- Vegetables. Yellow onion, carrots, and celery flavor the broth.
- Chicken broth. A couple cartons of low-sodium chicken broth are the way to go when you want to keep things quick and easy, but if you’re game for a project, consider making your own chicken stock.
- Extra-wide egg noodles. To keep things simple, minimize dirty dishes, and pack in more flavor, the egg noodles cook directly in the soup.
- Fresh parsley or dill. Adding chopped herbs at the end of cooking is a great way to keep the soup feeling fresh while adding a pop of green.
- Lemon. Adding a squeeze of lemon juice once the pot comes off the heat is totally optional, though for me personally, it’s always a must. A little bit of acidity adds brightness to the soup and ups the comfort level even more.
What Can I Add to Chicken Soup to Give It Flavor?
You have a lot of opportunity to add flavor to chicken soup throughout the cooking process, starting at the very beginning until you take the pot off the heat.
- Sautéing aromatic vegetables, like onion, carrot, and celery then simmering them in the broth adds more flavor. As does mixing in a few sprigs of fresh thyme and dried bay leaves.
- Season the soup with salt and pepper early on, allowing the flavor to concentrate as the soup simmers.
- Adding fresh herbs like parsley or dill along with lemon juice is a great flavor boost. These additions keep the soup feeling fresh and bright, and the acidity of the lemon rounds out the savoriness of the broth.
- Taste the soup at the end of cooking. If the flavor tastes a little flat, adding more salt or lemon juice will help.
If You’re Making Chicken Noodle Soup, a Few Tips
- Cut the vegetables into thick pieces. Keeping the pieces large ensures that they stay tender without getting mushy, and keep their bright coloring.
- Cook the noodles separately, if not eating all of the soup right away. This is because as the noodles sit in the soup, they absorb more and more broth, becoming soggy over time. I’ve found from experience that some egg noodles can hold up well, though most become a soggy mess and fall apart.
- Toss in the extra meat from the rotisserie chicken. Depending on the size of the chicken, you may find that after you pull off the meat you need, there’s still more left on the bird. Go ahead and toss it in the soup as well, unless of course you have another plan for the leftover chicken, like making chicken salad.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
This cozy classic has everything you love and cooks in just 30 minutes.
Prep time 15 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes to 30 minutes
Makes about 10 cups
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
large yellow onion
- 3
medium carrots
- 3
medium stalks celery
- 3 cloves
garlic
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter or olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons
low-sodium chicken broth (about 8 cups)
- 5 sprigs
fresh thyme
- 2
dried bay leaves
- 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound)
rotisserie chicken, or about 1 pound cooked, boneless chicken
- 6 ounces
dried extra-wide egg noodles (about 3 1/4 cups)
- 1/2 medium bunch
fresh parsley or dill
- 1/2
large lemon (optional)
Instructions
Prepare the following, adding each to the same large bowl as you complete it: Dice 1 large onion (about 2 cups). Peel and cut 3 medium carrots crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rounds (about 1 3/4 cups). Cut 3 medium celery stalks crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces (about 1 1/4 cups). Mince 3 garlic cloves.
Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onion mixture, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add 2 (32-ounce) cartons low-sodium chicken broth, 5 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 dried bay leaves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, use 2 forks to shred the meat from 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) rotisserie chicken or 1 pound cooked, boneless chicken into bite-sized pieces (about 3 cups).
Add the chicken and 6 ounces dried extra-wide egg noodles to the soup. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the noodles are just shy of al dente, 6 to 7 minutes or 1 minute less than the package instructions. Meanwhile, finely chop the leaves and tender stems from 1/2 medium bunch fresh parsley or dill until you have 1/4 cup.
Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed. Add the chopped parsley or dill. If using, squeeze the juice from 1/2 large lemon until you have 2 tablespoons. Add to soup and stir to combine.
Recipe Notes
General Tips: If not eating immediately, cook the egg noodles separately for 1 minute less than the package instructions for al dente. Add to soup when ready to eat.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Filed in:
pasta
Chicken
poultry
Main Dish
Make Ahead
soup
