Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

• Chicken: Lean white meat is typically used in chicken soup recipes. However, the flavor is very neutral and can easily taste bland. Instead, the secret to the most flavorful dish is to use bone-in chicken breast with the skin on for some fat. Another bonus is that breast halves (also called splits) are much more affordable, nearly half the price of boneless options.
• Vegetables: Adding a mirepoix to the soup, a classic combination of chopped onions, carrots, and celery, develops the savory and subtly sweet notes in the dish.
• Herbs: Fresh thyme releases earthy notes, while rosemary adds a sharper piney flavor. Dried bay leaves slowly infuse subtle floral and herbal compounds, creating a more rounded broth. Parsley garnished at the end brightens the presentation of the soup.
• Oil: Fruity olive oil is used to sear the chicken and saute the fresh vegetables.
• Seasoning: Minced garlic adds a sulfurous depth that mellows out when cooked. Salt and black pepper enrich the flavor of the soup base.
• Pasta: Wide egg noodles are the top choice for chicken noodle soup. They are delicate with a wide surface area and cook quickly in the liquid.
• Stock: I use unsalted chicken stock to add a rich, umami flavor to the soup. You can use salted products, but adjust the additional salt level accordingly.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).

Ingredient Substitutions

This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is easy to customize! Try these delicious options:

• Chicken Swaps: Bone-in chicken thighs work well, but trim excess fat to avoid a greasy broth. Boneless thighs or breasts cook faster but give less flavor, so check doneness early. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken. Add the meat at the end and simmer the carcass to enrich the stock. If you have leftover turkey, try this turkey noodle soup recipe.
• Other Noodles: You can use other types of pasta like ditalini, mini shells, elbows, orzo, or gluten-free pasta. I prefer anything that can easily fit into the curved end of a spoon.
• Herbs: Add fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs to the soup as it simmers. or dried herbs like sage, basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning. Herbes de Provence adds a French twist with tarragon, marjoram, fennel, and lavender. 
• Citrus: A squeeze of lemon juice adds a subtle acidity and brightness.
• Add Spices: Add a spicy kick with hot peppers or chili powder. I add a pinch to my Cajun seasoning blend. Savory cumin, coriander, and curry add dimension.
• Add More Veggies: For a heartier soup, consider adding sliced zucchini, green beans, corn kernels, diced red bell peppers, or potatoes.
• Make it Creamy: A splash of heavy cream creates a more luscious consistency. Try my creamy chicken noodle soup for a richer option. You can also make a roux with butter and flour, then add some milk to create a creamy consistency.
• Stock Swaps: Use homemade chicken stock or bouillon cubes to boost the taste of the savory broth.

Step 1: Season the Chicken

Sprinkle salt and pepper on the surface of the chicken to season the chicken meat before searing and simmering.

Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Searing the chicken skin creates a browned surface that boosts flavor, similar to a steak. Keeping the bones in helps the meat stay moist by acting as an insulator, while browning them enriches the broth’s color and the marrow releases extra flavor.

Pro Tip: I make the soup in a large, heavy-bottomed pan, such as a Dutch oven. This vessel enables you to sear the meat, saute the celery and carrots, braise the chicken, and boil the pasta in the same pot. It also evenly distributes and retains heat well, which is ideal for simmering ingredients.

Step 3: Saute the Vegetables

Sauteing the veggies first with a bit of olive oil deepens their flavor and produces a slight caramelization. It helps to eliminate the sharp sulfurous taste in raw onions and garlic. To draw out the fragrant fat-soluble flavors from the thyme and rosemary, cook them in oil with the vegetables.

This process is called blooming and takes under a minute to make a significant impact. The fat helps dissolve the compounds locked inside, allowing them to diffuse more effectively into the stock. 

Tips for Perfect Execution: I add the bay leaves to the liquid. We want to keep them whole because they are inedible. Their larger surface area will gently infuse the dried flavor into the soup.

Step 4: Simmer the Soup 

The cartilage and connective tissue of bone-in cuts of chicken turn from collagen to gelatin when simmering in chicken broth or stock. When this happens, it adds body and richness to the soup base.

Step 5: Shred the Chicken

Shredding the chicken into small pieces makes it tender and easy to eat, while increasing its surface area to absorb the flavorful broth, so every bite tastes rich and satisfying. I have various methods for how to shred chicken, check them out.

Step 6: Add the Noodles

Instead of using a separate large pot to boil the noodles, cook them directly in the chicken stock. I do this after I remove the breast while it’s cooling down. Cook them to al dente, and they will continue to soften when you add the shredded chicken back to warm up. You don’t want the noodles to become mushy.

Step 7: To Serve

Soups ready! Ladle the hot chicken noodle soup into big bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. My family loves it when I serve it with slices of my mom’s famous garlic bread.

More Soup Recipes

Soups

Chicken and Rice Soup

1 hr

Soups

Homemade Tomato Soup

30 mins

Soups

French Onion Soup

1 hr 35 mins

Soups

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

1 hr

If you tried this Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!