Nothing’s more comforting on a cold night than my quick and classic homemade chicken noodle soup recipe. It’s delicious and easy to make with tender chicken, egg noodles, and veggies in an aromatic broth. This one-pot recipe is ready in 30 minutes and perfect for lunch or dinner!
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
My homemade chicken noodle soup is so comforting and great to have on hand for chilly nights or when you’re feeling under the weather. My kids love it, and it’s the best remedy for a cold but also wonderful anytime you crave comfort food! I have many variations of chicken soup, but this chicken noodle soup is a classic. If you have a pressure cooker, you can make this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup version. More soup recipes you might enjoy are Chicken and Wild Rice Soup, Colombian Chicken Sancocho, and my cheesy French Onion Chicken Soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup That Warms From the Inside Out
I make chicken soup all the time, often when I have a leftover Roast Chicken to make Chicken Stock from scratch. This chicken noodle soup recipe simplifies things so you can make it any night of the week using homemade or store-bought chicken broth. Here’s why you’ll have this easy soup recipe on repeat all throughout the colder months.
- Kid Friendly: My kids love chicken noodle soup, and it’s so easy to pack in a thermos for school lunch.
- Quick: This soup is ready on the stovetop in under 30 minutes. There’s also the option to make it in the Instant Pot.
- One pot: You’ll cook the vegetables, boneless chicken thighs, and the noodles in the same soup pot. It’s fast and full of flavor.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this soup. See exact measurements in recipe card below.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs. I love using boneless skinless chicken thighs, which are more tender and less dry than chicken breasts. You can use thighs on or off the bone – whatever you have. I also like to make this soup with shredded leftover Thanksgiving Turkey during the holidays!
- Onion, celery stalks, and carrots. The classic mirepoix trio that forms a flavorful base for the broth.
- Garlic infuses the soup with a warm, aromatic depth of flavor.
- Chicken broth or homemade stock. The heart of the soup, providing a rich, savory taste.
- Dried Bay leaves add a subtle herbal note that deepens the soup’s flavor.
- Egg noodles. The classic, comforting ingredient that makes this soup hearty and filling. Use gluten-free noodles in place of egg noodles if you have an intolerance or gluten allergy, or any noodle you prefer. See below.
- Fresh parsley. A fresh garnish that brightens up the dish with color and flavor.
The Best Noodles for Soup
My mom always used egg noodles when making chicken noodle soup. But the good news is, you can use any pasta. Here are some ideas:
- Egg noodles or no yolk egg noodles
- Cut up spaghetti
- Ditalini pasta
- Acini di pepe
- Elbow macaroni
Variations
- Swap the boneless chicken thighs for bone-in chicken thighs and cook a few more minutes.
- Swap the boneless chicken thighs for leftover rotisserie chicken.
- Or swap the thighs for skinless chicken breasts, but cook the soup for slightly less time.
- Use leftover turkey in place of chicken to make a turkey noodle soup.
- Make it low-carb by taking out the noodles and adding more chicken.
- Make this soup gluten-free by subbing gluten-free noodles for the egg noodles.
How To Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
See the full printable recipe in the recipe card below.
- Prepare to cook. Season the chicken with salt. Meanwhile, heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
- Sauté. Add the oil, onion, celery, carrot, and garlic, and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Next, add the chicken, chicken broth, water, bay leaves, and black pepper.
- Cook. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat. Then, cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 35 minutes, or until the chicken shreds easily with a fork.
- Finish and serve. Lastly, discard the bay leaves and shred the chicken with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Add the noodles, and cook according to the package directions. Garnish with parsley and enjoy!
Broth vs. Stock
Using a good chicken broth or stock is an essential ingredient for any soup. Chicken stock is usually made more from chicken bones, while broth is made from the meat. Homemade stock typically has more flavor than canned broth. However, if you don’t have time for homemade stock, no worries – store-bought broth will work perfectly. If you’re on the hunt for a good chicken broth, you can always buy a few different brands and do a taste test. For extra protein, I love to use bone broth.
What To Serve With Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing goes better with a warm bowl of soup than hunks of crusty Sourdough Bread for dunking. Here are some more delicious serving suggestions if you’d like to make this soup into a meal.
Salad and Sandwiches
Serve this soup bistro-style with your favorite salad or sandwich.
Storage
- Refrigerate. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freeze. I like to freeze leftover chicken noodle soup to have it on hand for last-minute meals. Just freeze the soup in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. These Souper Cubes are great!
- Reheat. Warm the soup on the stove or in the microwave until it’s piping hot throughout.
More Soup Recipes You’ll Love
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of all fat (about 1 pound total)*
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup onion, diced
- 1/2 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 dry bay leaves
- black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup egg noodles, (1 1/2 oz)
- parsley, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken with salt. Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat.
- Add the oil, onion, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté until soft, 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken, chicken broth, 1/4 cup water, bay leaves and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the chicken shreds easily with a fork, about 35 minutes.
- Discard the bay leaves, coarsely shred the chicken with two forks and return to the soup, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Last Step:
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Notes
Nutrition
I first published this chicken noodle soup recipe on December 18, 2018. I have since rephotographed it and updated the post to make it more helpful.
