Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
This Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup feels like a warm hug on a cold day. It’s loaded with veggies, flavorful chicken broth, classic egg noodles, and juicy pieces of chicken. Enjoy a cozy bowl of this hearty soup any time of the year or when feeling under the weather.
As soon as the cold weather hits, I bring out my soup pot and make a big batch of this comforting chicken noodle soup. It tastes a million times better than the canned stuff, and you won’t believe how quickly this soup comes together.
If you want to make this chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot, try my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe here.
Homestyle chicken noodle soup ingredients
Onions, carrots, and celery: This combination of vegetables is also known as ‘mirepoix’, which is a classic French cooking base. It creates a delicious flavor for the base of this soup.
Garlic: I love adding fresh garlic to this soup because it creates a nice flavor profile, and it supports healthy immune function.
Butter: I like to use butter in this soup. Use unsalted butter to limit the amount of added salt. If you prefer, you can use olive oil instead of butter.
Broth: You can use either chicken or vegetable broth for this soup. Homemade broth or stock always taste best, but when I’m in a pinch, I like using Better Than Bouillon base.
Egg noodles: I’ve used different types of noodles in this soup, but my favorite is the classic egg noodles. They absorb the broth’s flavor and make the soup heartier.
If you don’t have egg noodles, fusilli are also excellent in this soup.
Chicken breasts: I like using chicken breasts for this soup, but you can use chicken thighs if you prefer. If you’re short on time, you can even use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken in this recipe.
Dried spices: I like to use fresh herbs when they’re in season. But during the off season, dried herbs can still do an excellent job at flavoring this soup.
I use a mix of dried thyme, ground sage, bay leaves, and dried rosemary.
Fresh herbs: There’s really no substitute for fresh dill. This is always a must when I make chicken noodle soup. It adds a bright, tangy, and refreshing taste.
If you’re not a fan of dill, use fresh parsley instead. Adding a fresh element to this soup really elevates the flavor.
Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds the perfect brightness and balance to this chicken noodle soup, and it goes nicely with the dill. If you don’t have lemons, use white wine vinegar instead.
Parmesan cheese: I like serving my bowl of chicken noodle soup with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese on top. It adds a rich, savory, ‘umami’ flavor.
Tips for making homestyle chicken noodle soup
Cut the veggies into thick pieces. This makes the soup hearty and prevents the vegetables from getting mushy.
Cook the chicken separately. It’s easy to overcook chicken breast when you poach it directly in the soup.
I prefer to season and cook my chicken separately, shred it, then add it to the soup before serving for the best texture and flavor.
If you prefer, you can cook your chicken in the soup while its simmering. Just make sure to take the chicken out when the breast reads 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Chicken is technically finished cooking at 165°F, but once the meat is shredded, it will be added back to the soup for a few minutes at the end.
Shred the chicken. Shredded chicken helps to thicken up the soup and makes sure you’ll get a taste of chicken in every bite.
Cook the noodles separately if you’re not eating all the soup right away. The noodles will continue to absorb the broth in the leftover soup. If you are planning on making this soup ahead of time, I recommend cooking the noodles separately.
When you’re ready to eat, stir the cooked noodles into the soup and enjoy. It’s annoying, but it’s better than eating mushy noodles.
Make your own chicken broth or stock. Homemade broth always tastes better than store bought. It’s usually rich and deeper in flavor and offers more nutrients because you can control the ingredients.
Use freshly squeeze lemon juice. Adding an acidic ingredient like fresh lemon juice helps to balance the saltiness and enhance the flavor of the soup.
Garnish your soup with extra chicken. I like serving my bowl of soup with extra chicken.
What to serve with chicken noodle soup
I like to serve homemade biscuits or a side salad with chicken noodle soup. Below are some more suggestions:
- Side salad (Cesar, arugula salad, bean salad, quinoa salad)
- Coleslaw
- Crostini
- Garlic bread
- Roasted vegetables
- Grilled cheese sandwich
- Focaccia
- Garlic knots or breadsticks
- Dinner rolls
- Pierogies (my favorite is potato and cheese pierogies)
How to store and reheat chicken noodle soup
Storing your soup: Once the soup has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge. It will keep up to 3-4 days.
If you anticipate that you’ll have leftovers, keep the noodles separate from the soup to prevent them from getting mushy.
Can you freeze chicken noodle soup? Yes, you can! Prepare the soup recipe as you normally would but leave out the noodles. Then freeze the soup in a glass, freezer-safe container.
I recommend freezing the soup in portions based on how many people you plan on feeding.
Reheating your soup: Pour the soup into a saucepan and heat over medium heat on the stovetop until warmed through. If you’ve kept your noodles separate, add them during the last few minutes of cooking.
Please let me know how you like this homestyle chicken noodle soup in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this chicken noodle soup as much as I do.
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Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6–8 servings 1x
Description
This Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup feels like a warm hug on a cold day. It’s loaded with veggies, flavorful chicken broth, classic egg noodles, and juicy pieces of chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the soup:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or olive oil)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 ribs celery, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground sage
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken broth or stock (Note 1)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1.5 cups wide egg noodles (or pasta of choice)
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Make the chicken: Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly pound the chicken to flatten the large bump at one end to make it even thickness. This will help the chicken cook more evenly.
- In a bowl, combine the chicken, seasoning (1/2 teaspoon EACH garlic powder, dried thyme, dried oregano, sea salt), and 1.5 tablespoons of the olive oil, and mix well to coat.
- Transfer chicken to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, or until internal temperature is 165°F. Let the chicken cool slightly on a cutting board before using a fork to shred the chicken into thin pieces. Set aside.
- Make the soup: In a Dutch oven or large pot, melt the butter (or olive oil if using) over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, about 5-8 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme, sage, rosemary and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add the chicken broth and bay leaves, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer, partially covered, for 20 minutes.
- Stir in the egg noodles and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the shredded chicken, fresh dill, and lemon juice. Give the soup a good stir and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve each bowl with a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
- Can you make this in the Instant Pot? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe here.
- You can use chicken or vegetable both. Homemade tastes best, but store-bought will still be delicious. I use Better Than Bouillon because I always have it in my pantry.
- Make this soup with fresh herbs: Use 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig fresh sage, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, and 3 sprigs fresh thyme. Tie them together with kitchen twine or use a herb sachet. Add them when pour in the chicken broth and remove the fresh herbs when you stir in the cooked shredded chicken.
- Rotisserie chicken: You can use shredded rotisserie chicken if you prefer. You’ll need approximately 2 heaping cups of shredded cooked chicken for this recipe.
- Poach the chicken: You can poach the chicken breasts in the soup if you prefer. Add it when you simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the soup and transfer it to a cutting board to cool slightly before shredding it.
- Air fry the chicken: You can cook the chicken in an air fryer if you prefer. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Place the chicken smooth side down in the air fryer and cook for 6-7 minutes. Then carefully flip the chicken over and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (about 3-7 minutes). Let it rest on the cutting board for a few minutes before shredding. The internal temperature of the chicken will increase to 165°F (which is safe eat) while it rests.
- Dill substitute: I love the taste of fresh dill in this soup, but you can use fresh chopped parsley instead.
- Nutrition information is a rough estimate based on 6 servings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 4.67g
- Sodium: 1328mg
- Fat: 13.58g
- Saturated Fat: 3.87g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18.5g
- Fiber: 2.4g
- Protein: 16.25g
- Cholesterol: 56mg
