This chicken noodle soup checks all the boxes: it’s comforting, tasty, and super easy to throw together. Trust me, this no-fail recipe is sure to become your new go-to chicken noodle soup recipe.
Table of Contents
- This recipe is…
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
- Recipe Variations and Modifications
- How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
- Recipe Tips
- Chicken Noodle Soup Video
- How to Serve
- How to Store and Reheat
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Favorite Soup Recipes
- Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Recipe
This recipe is…
Chicken noodle soup — gosh, just those three words alone have a way of making me feel cozy and taken care of. I have to admit, I (Brandi…hi!) am not a huge soup person, but one of the soups that I can really get on board with is a really good, homemade, chicken noodle soup, and let me tell you, this one is the best I’ve ever had. Here’s why:
- It’s made with chicken thighs – I love the flavor that the chicken thighs add to the soup (especially if you’re pan-searing them vs. boiling them in the broth). The fat from the chicken thighs just brings a flavor that chicken breasts can’t bring!
- It’s got the perfect noodle to liquid ratio – This soup is loaded with veggies, chicken, and noodles…not just broth. I just don’t love SUPER brothy (read: lacking in good-stuff) soups, so I can really appreciate good-stuff to liquid ratio here.
If you’re looking for another REALLY delicious recipe featuring chicken thighs, this Chicken Thigh Pesto Bake is a great one to try. And, if you’re looking for more incredible, nourishing soup recipes, we’ve got you. Our creamy chicken wild rice soup and tomato basil soup recipes are definitely a must-try!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s rich and flavorful – Browning the chicken first helps to reinforce the chicken stock, making the finished chicken noodle soup that much more flavorful.
- It’s got the perfect noodle to broth ratio – This soup is loaded with veggies, chicken, and noodles – “the good stuff” – not just broth. I just don’t love SUPER brothy (read: lacking in “good-stuff”) soups, so I can really appreciate the “good-stuff” to liquid ratio here.
- It’s quick and easy to make – In just under an hour, your kitchen will be filled with the soothing aroma of homemade chicken noodle soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
Just a handful of ingredients – flavorful chicken thighs, some chopped vegetables, a few aromatics, broth and a couple finishing touches – brings this homemade chicken noodle soup together in no time.
- Chicken Thighs – I can’t overstate how much more flavor chicken thighs pack than the usual boneless, skinless chicken breasts in this chicken noodle soup recipe. But, if you really prefer white meat, chicken breasts will make a perfectly delicious soup, too.
- Noodles – chicken NOODLE soup has to include noodles! You’ll need 12 ounces of noodles (gluten-free rotini is pictured here) for your soup. Any small shape (think: rotini, penne, bowtie, etc.) will work great.
- Chicken Broth – store-bought works great, but if you want to go the homemade route, we’ve got you covered. Check out this recipe for homemade chicken broth.
- Bay Leaves – don’t sleep on the aromatics. Bay leaf is responsible for that unmistakable warming spice taste that makes chicken noodle soup so crave-able.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Recipe Variations and Modifications
- Use rotisserie chicken – you can easily skip cooking the chicken and add shredded rotisserie chicken to the soup later. You may lose a little richness in flavor, but it’s a tasty shortcut worth a try.
- Make it gluten-free – gluten-free noodles will work just as well as regular noodles in this chicken noodle soup. Just follow the package directions for the correct cooking time.
- Use homemade broth – swap store-bought chicken broth for homemade broth – or even homemade bone broth – for added flavor.
- Kick the flavor up a notch – if you’re looking to put a fun spin on traditional chicken noodle soup you could add a couple tablespoons of your favorite red pepper sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)! My mom actually does this sometimes, and it’s really yummy. You could also stir in a dollop or two of pesto for another fun take (again, thanks mom!).
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
This one pot chicken noodle soup recipe comes together in under an hour. To find out how to make it yourself, follow along below.
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. While the oil is heating, season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Once the oil is hot, sear the chicken thighs until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
Step 3: Remove the chicken thighs from the pot to a cutting board and cool slightly before slicing the chicken into bite-size pieces.
Step 4: Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes.
Step 5: Add the chicken, broth, and bay leaves to the pot. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, uncover and add the noodles to the soup. Cook according to the packaging instructions.
Step 6: Once the noodles are cooked, stir in the lemon juice. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper, as needed. Garnish with parsley, serve, and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Be careful not to let the noodles overcook. Follow the package directions for your noodles of choice, then remove the pot from the heat as soon as the noodles are al dente.
- If you want to make ahead and store for later, wait to add the noodles until you reheat the soup to keep them from overcooking.
- Portion the soup into individual servings before freezing so that you can reheat just what you need.
Chicken Noodle Soup Video
How to Serve
Serve piping hot with a garnish of parsley and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
How to Store and Reheat
To store: You can go one of two routes here: either freeze any leftover soup you have, OR make a double batch and freeze an entire batch for a busy night in the future. If you’re freezing leftovers, the noodles will have already been added to the soup, and there is a chance that they’ll fall apart slightly through the freeze and reheat process (it’ll still be yummy, though). The soup will keep frozen for 5 months.
Otherwise, this soup will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
To reheat: Pop the frozen soup into an appropriately sized pot and heat over low to medium-low heat on the stovetop until completely thawed. Then, bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. If you need to cook the noodles, add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Garnish and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
While pan searing the chicken in the pot before the rest of the ingredients go in really allows it to brown and build a ton of flavor, it isn’t necessary. You could definitely add the raw chicken thighs into the pot once the broth goes in, letting them boil to cook through, and then pull them out and slice them once fully cooked. Either way works just fine, but our preferred method is to sear them ahead of time!
You can! The chicken will definitely cook in the boiling broth. Once it’s fully cooked, you’ll just need to pull them out of the soup, slice (or shred) them, and then add them back to the soup.
The noodles actually absorb a lot of the broth, so it’s really unlikely that you’ll need to thicken the soup any further. If you feel like it’s still too thin once the noodles are cooked, though, you could definitely combine a bit of cornstarch (I’d start with 2 tablespoons) + water in a small bowl, stir it to create a flurry, and then stir that into the soup.
It is! Each of the ingredients included in this chicken noodle soup has something to bring to the table nutritionally, so unless you’re intolerant to one of the listed ingredients, it should be a really healthy option.
The reason here is actually similar to the reason you feel so good (and sleepy) after eating Thanksgiving turkey — the chicken is actually a great source of tryptophan, aiding in the production of both melatonin and serotonin (hormones that are responsible for rest and mood stabilization). It’s also just a really nutrient-dense meal, which always helps to boost well-being.
Yes! We have just the recipe for you. Try making our Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe and skip the stove top mess.
More Favorite Soup Recipes
If you tried this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Best Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 5 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch thick coins
- 5 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- ½ yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- 12 cups chicken broth, 96 fluid ounces
- 2 bay leaves
- 12 ounces noodles
- Juice of one lemon
- Fresh chopped parsley, optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat, and season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Once the pot is hot, pan sear the thighs in the pot for 3 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes, until cooked through.
- Pull the chicken thighs out of the pot and transfer them to a cutting board.
- Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to the pot, and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and slightly browned on the outside.
- While the vegetables are cooking, slice the chicken thighs.
- Add the sliced chicken thighs to the pot with the vegetables. Stir in the chicken broth and bay leaves. Cover the pot and bring to a simmer, then add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions.
- Once the noodles are cooked through, stir in the lemon juice, taste and add salt and pepper if needed, then garnish with parsley and serve!
Recipe Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken – you can easily skip cooking the chicken and add shredded rotisserie chicken to the soup later. You may lose a little richness in flavor, but it’s a tasty shortcut worth a try.
- Make it gluten-free – gluten-free noodles will work just as well as regular noodles in this chicken noodle soup. Just follow the package directions for the correct cooking time.
- Use homemade broth – swap store-bought chicken broth for homemade broth – or even homemade bone broth – for added flavor.
- Kick the flavor up a notch – if you’re looking to put a fun spin on traditional chicken noodle soup you could add a couple tablespoons of your favorite red pepper sauce (like Frank’s Red Hot)! My mom actually does this sometimes, and it’s really yummy. You could also stir in a dollop or two of pesto for another fun take (again, thanks mom!).
Nutrition
Cooking directions are spot on and I love all the soups from you all! I threw in spices that I had on hand to up the flavor a bit – thyme, basil and oregano. But I’ve been real sick this week and this healthy soup is making me feel better!
We are so glad that you enjoyed this soup and that it was able to provide warmth and nourishment while you were sick, Katie! Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us. -Team FF
Delicious, simple and filling!
We are so glad you enjoyed, Carrie! Thank you for taking the time to share with us. We really appreciate it! -Team FF
How long do you think leftovers would keep in the fridge for lunches throughout the week?
Up to 5 days! -Team FF
This soup was delicious! It has tons of flavor and the chicken tastes amazing. Searing it first is definitely the way to go. This one is a repeat.
Wahoo! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us, Michelle!
Do you have the nutrition information?
It should be in there now!