Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (Quick & Easy)

Now that the weather has turned cold and blustery, there is no better time than now to share our favorite Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. Melt in your mouth juicy chunks of chicken, tender vegetables, and soft noodles cooked in an earthy and flavorful broth.

Not only will this soup provide you with a wholesome and hearty meal, it will also help warm you up on those cold, long days of winter. Best of all with just a few basic ingredients, this soup comes together in no time!

It is a quick and easy recipe that we find ourselves making over and over again. Whether you are looking for a classic dish to make for lunch or dinner, or a recipe to help you fight a cold, this recipe will do the trick!

What Type of Chicken To Make Chicken Noodle Soup

When it comes to what type of chicken you should use to make soup, there are a variety of options. The choice will all depend on what type of flavor that you are looking for and how much time that you have on your hands.

Chicken Thighs: Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs provide a rich and flavorful broth. The dark meat becomes super tender and it is often the preferred meat of choice in soup recipes.

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts: However if you prefer a leaner option, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. While this choice may result in a slightly milder flavor, it’s a healthier option for those watching their fat intake.

Rotisserie Chicken: For a convenient and time-saving approach, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. Simply shred the meat and add it to the soup towards the end of the cooking process. This option is particularly useful when you want a quick meal that can be made in minutes.

What Type of Noodles To Make Chicken Noodle Soup

When it comes to best type of pasta used to make chicken noodle soup, there are also many options to choose from. Many people like the majority of the soup to consist of pasta, and others like the soup to have more broth than noodles.

I have listed the popular varieties that are often included in soup, therefore, feel free to choose which one that best suits your taste and texture preferences.

Egg Noodles: Traditional egg noodles are a classic choice for chicken noodle soup. They provide a rich and hearty flavor to the dish and have a tender yet slightly chewy texture. You can find egg noodles in various thicknesses, allowing you to tailor the soup to your liking.

Fine Egg Noodles: For a lighter option, fine egg noodles or thin pasta can be used. These noodles cook quickly and have a delicate texture, allowing the other flavors in the soup to shine. If you prefer the canned chicken noodle soup that you grew up with, then choose angel hair pasta and break it into small pieces.

Small Pasta Varieties: There are a variety of small pasta varieties that work well in soup. Orzo, Ditalini, and Pastina pasta are all great choices. You can even use tiny shells and mini bowtie pasta if you prefer.

Gluten-Free Noodles: If you prefer a gluten-free option chickpea or rice noodles are both fantastic choices.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1⁄2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in & skin-on
• Fresh ground pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 medium carrots, diced
• 4 celery ribs, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 cups chicken broth, low sodium
• 2 bay leaves
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground thyme
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 8 ounces dry egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS:

To start making your homemade chicken noodle soup pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Then season them generously with salt and pepper. Set aside.

In a large stockpot add the oil on medium-high heat. Place the chicken, skin side down, working in batches if needed and cook for 3-4 minutes until the skin is a dark golden color. 

Flip the chicken over and brown for another 3-4 minutes. Then remove the chicken from pan and set aside.

Add the diced onion, celery, carrots to the hot pan with the chicken drippings and cook over medium-high heat until tender. This will take approximately 4-5 minutes.

Then add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for 1 minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

Deglaze The Pot

Next, add the broth scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Bring the mixture to a boil and then place the chicken back into the pot.

Add the thyme, red pepper flakes and bay leaves. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and continue to simmer for 30 minutes.

Using a large slotted spoon, remove the chicken pieces to a large bowl and set aside. Then increase the heat and add the egg noodles to the pot and let it simmer for the time stated on the package.

When the cooked chicken thighs are cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Using two forks remove the meat from bones and shred or cut the meat into bite-size pieces.

Then return the chicken to the pot with the remaining homemade noodle soup.

Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as desired. Then remove the bay leaves and serve warm.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I make this recipe gluten free?

It is easy to make this recipe gluten free. Simply replace the egg noodles with gluten free noodles such as brown rice pasta, chickpea pasta or soba pasta.

It is now fairly easy to find gluten-free pasta at the grocery store. However, you can also purchase Gluten Free Noodles on Amazon as well. (Affiliate Link: Gluten Free Egg Noodles)

2. Can I make this soup low-carb?

If you want to make this soup lower in carbohydrates, simply omit the noodles all together. Although, if you are really wanting to add noodles to the soup you can use a low-carb noodle like Shirataki Noodles.

However, be sure to follow the instructions on the package to adjust for the appropriate cooking time.

3. How do I store Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup?

Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Although the noodles will be softer than when you originally served the soup, it is still delicious.

When you go to reheat the soup, add water or broth to the leftovers because the noodles will have absorbed a significant amount of the liquid.

4. Can I freeze leftovers?

Unfortunately, the leftovers should not be frozen. Cooked noodles don’t hold up well when frozen. However, you can store the leftovers in the refrigerator and eat the remaining soup over the next few days.

Although you can go ahead and make the soup and omit adding the noodles. Then freeze the broth, chicken and vegetables. When you go to reheat the soup, add the pasta and let it boil until the noodles are al’ dente.

5. Can I make this soup ahead of time?

If you want to make this soup ahead of time, follow all the instructions, but do not add the noodles to the broth. Then store the soup in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Then heat the soup to a boil, add the noodles and cook until they are nice and tender. If you’re looking for more comfort food recipes that are easy to make, be sure to try our Homemade Chicken Pot Pie Recipe!

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

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