Classic Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients

Chicken

We start with a whole chicken. It’s economical and adds a ton of flavor to the stock. The longest part of the entire recipe is the time needed for simmering the chicken just until the joints start separating.

Chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks can be used. Bone-in and skin on will produce a richer flavor. Chicken parts will cook quicker than a whole chicken. When using chicken parts rather than a whole chicken, the simmering time for the chicken will be reduced.

Rotisserie or leftover chicken can also be used. The chicken skin and bones can be simmered with the other broth ingredients and will add an extra depth of flavor. Use all of the liquid that has gathered on the bottom of the container as well! If using rotisserie chicken, do not buy one that has been seasoned with barbecue or lemon-pepper. Stick to traditional or herbed.

Vegetables for Stock/Broth

When making the broth, the vegetables are simmered whole. None of them are peeled. They are simply washed before using. No one wants mud in their dinner!

Carrots – I use large whole carrots because I think they taste better and look better in the finished soup. An added bonus, whole carrots tend to be cheaper than baby carrots.

Celery – All the parts of the celery so there is no waste! You can even toss in the tops and bottoms from the other ribs of celery you will use in the finished soup.

Parsnips – This is our secret ingredient for making flavorful broths and stocks. They add a subtle sweetness and hint of brightness. You only need to add one or two based on their size. You can leave out the parsnips but give them a try at least once.

Onions – I cut yellow onions in half and toss the whole thing in. skins and all. The skin will not provide any flavor and it can be peeled off. It also won’t hurt anything, so I just leave it on. You will want to peel the other half though; it is going into the finished soup.

Spices and Herbs – The only spice we use is whole black peppercorns. We prefer using fresh parsley and thyme, they provide a real freshness in the soup. We will use dried thyme, about 1 teaspoon, if fresh is unavailable. Fresh parsley is generally available year-round at most mega-marts and is reasonably cheap. I promise that the use of fresh parsley in any cooked dish will make a huge difference in the finished flavor! 

Add Extra Flavor – We like to add a large chicken bouillon cube. We prefer the Knorr brand.

Vegetables for the Soup

The only vegetables we use in the the actual soup are carrots and celery. Everything used in the stock will be strained out before finishing the dish. Other vegetables can be added as desired.  Just remember to cook the harder vegetables like carrots or potatoes longer than quick-cooking vegetables like cauliflower.

Homemade Chicken Stock

You can certainly skip the simmering step and just use broth and stock. We just like the rich and deep flavors that comes from slow simmering them with vegetables and herbs. 

Noodles for the Best Chicken Soup 

Amish Noodles

My favorite noodles are wide Amish homestyle noodles. Thicker egg noodles like these hold up better during freezing and reheating.

Frozen Egg Noodles

Frozen Egg Noodles would be my second favorite noodle for my soups. These noodles will be fine during refreezing but may break apart more during the thawing and reheating processes.

Wide Egg Noodles

Wide egg noodles will cook much faster than my other choices. Re-heating may cause the noodle to fall apart from overcooking the second time around.

Soup Noodles

Small thin egg noodles like the ones found in a can of soup can also be used. The cooking time on these is pretty short and they are easy to overcook. Pay close attention to the directions listed on the package and follow the recommended cooking times.

How to Make Homemade Chicken Soup

Make the Chicken Stock

1. Prep your ingredients: Rinse carrots, parsnips, celery, onion, garlic, and herbs. Cut carrots, parsnips, and celery into chunks. Halve your onion and garlic (keep them unpeeled).
2. Fill the pot: Combine chunks of carrot, parsnip, celery tops, one half of an onion, garlic clove halves, chicken, broth, bouillon (optional), half your parsley and thyme, and peppercorns in a large pot. Cover completely with water.
3. Start simmering: Place the pot over medium-high heat, bringing it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and maintain a gentle simmer for 1-2 hours. Cook until the chicken is very tender.
4. Remove and cool the chicken: Lift the cooked chicken onto a plate. Drain any excess liquid back into the pot.
5. Simmer the broth again: Add the remaining parsley and thyme to the stockpot. Let it simmer another hour while the chicken cools.
6. Shred the chicken: After cooling, discard the chicken’s skin and bones. Shred or cut the chicken meat into bite-size pieces.

7. Strain: Pour the broth through a colander to remove all solids, creating a clear, flavorful stock.

Finish the Soup

1. Prep fresh veggies: Thoroughly wash the celery and slice it thinly. Peel and slice the carrots. Peel and dice the onion.
2. Combine with broth: Add the sliced vegetables, diced onion, and the cooked chicken pieces to your strained broth. Simmer until the vegetables are tender.
3. Cook the noodles: Add your desired noodles directly to the soup and cook according to the package instructions time. 
4. Enjoy your delicious homemade chicken noodle soup!

Can I Make Chicken Soup in a Crock Pot?

Yes! A crockpot can be used to make homemade chicken noodle soup.

Add all of the broth ingredients, including the whole chicken and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours, or low for 10 to 12 hours. Once the chicken starts to separate at the joints, the chicken is done. Remove the chicken and spent vegetables.

Add the sliced vegetables to the broth in the slow cooker and cook on high until the vegetables are tender. Depending on the thickness of the sliced vegetables this will take 15 to 35 minutes.

When the vegetables are ready, add the noodles and continue cooking on high until the noodles are cooked. Just like with the vegetables, the thicker the noodles the longer this will take. The thin soup noodles and regular wide egg noodles will take 15 to 30 minutes, while thicker Amish style noodles and frozen egg noodles may take up to an hour to cook.

Instant Pot Instructions

1. Sauté (optional): Some Instant Pot users like to use the sauté setting and pre-cook the onions, carrots, and celery for a few minutes before pressure cooking to develop more flavor.
2. Add aromatics and chicken: Place the whole chicken, parsnips, onion, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, and bouillon cubes (if using) into the Instant Pot. Cover with water as you would for the stovetop method.
3. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set your Instant Pot to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” on high pressure for 30-40 minutes. Allow for a natural pressure release of at least 10 minutes before carefully releasing the remaining pressure.
4. Strain and Finish: Follow the stovetop instructions for removing and shredding the chicken, straining the broth, and adding the remaining ingredients and noodles to finish the soup.

Important Notes:

• Size matters: If your whole chicken is large, you may need to cut it into pieces to fit in your Instant Pot.
• Liquid amount: Make sure the water level doesn’t exceed the maximum fill line of your Instant Pot.
• Timing: Cooking time may vary slightly based on chicken size. A good visual indicator is the chicken easily pulling away from the bone.

Additional Tips:

• Rotisserie chicken shortcut: Just like in the stovetop version, you can use rotisserie chicken for a super quick Instant Pot chicken noodle soup.
• Frozen chicken: It’s possible, but increase the cooking time and remember you’ll likely need a longer natural release.

In a Hurry?

We have a cheater version! This one starts with some serious shortcuts. While it is technically homemade, it doesn’t have the same depth of flavor as a true homemade soup made with homemade stock.

You’ll need some cooked chicken on hand. You can also use rotisserie chicken for this.  You’ll still need the canned broth.

Simply heat the broth, add some carrots, onions, and celery and cook them just until they are tender. Dice up the cooked chicken and toss it into the pan along with your noodles. Cook just until the noodles are cooked.

The one advantage to a 30-minute version is you can make a batch small enough for one or two people. The flavor is slightly better than what comes out of a can. For this reason, I do not plan for leftovers when making it this way.

What Can I Serve with Chicken Noodle Soup?

We always offer some kind of saltine crackers with our soups and bread. We usually make either Texas Toast or No-Knead Rustic Crusty Bread too.

Others serve simple side salads or sandwich halves with theirs.

Storing Leftovers

• Don’t wait too long: Let the soup cool down a bit, but don’t leave it sitting out for longer than 2 hours. Bacteria can start growing quickly at room temperature.
• Smaller is better: If you have a lot of soup, divide it into smaller containers. This helps it cool down faster and makes it easier to grab just the amount you want later.
• Good containers: Use airtight containers – glass or BPA-free plastic work well. Make sure they’re clean and dry.
• Refrigerate it: Store your soup in the refrigerator if you’ll be eating it within the next 3-4 days. 
• Freeze for later: If you want to keep your soup even longer, freeze it! It stays good in the freezer for up to 4-6 months. Just remember, noodles and veggies might get softer when you reheat it. To freeze, put the soup in freezer bags or containers (leave a little room for it to expand), and don’t forget to label it with the date.

Reheating 

Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator first for the best results. To get the frozen soup out of the freezer container I place it into a sink and fill the sink with water until it reaches just below the lid.  Once it has released itself from the sides it’s ready to be placed into a pan.

Stovetop

When we want to reheat frozen soup in a hurry, we add about 1 cup of water to a saucepan and bring it to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to simmer, add the frozen soup and cover it with a lid. Try not to stir the soup too much because the noodles will fall apart. Once the soup is heated through immediately remove it from the heat and serve it.

Reheating from thawed is easier. Just add it to a saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until it is heated all the chicken pieces are completely heated through.

Microwave

Place the soup into a microwave-safe container and cover loosely with a lid or some paper towels. Carrots sometimes explode and make a mess. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to stir about halfway through. If it’s frozen or an extra-large bowl of soup it may take an additional minute or two.

More Soup Recipes You’ve Got to Try

• Turkey Rice Soup
• Beef Vegetable Soup
• French Onion Soup
• Curried Tomato Soup
• Easy Wonton Soup

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