Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Nov. 29, 2024
This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is a cozy, warm, comforting soup. It’s an easy way to use a rotisserie chicken or uncooked whole chicken. You can also use leftover turkey.
In This Article
- Video: watch us make this Recipe
- Why This Recipe Stands Out
- Key Recipe Ingredients
- Substitutions And Variations
- Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- How To Prep Ahead
- What To Serve With Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Commonly Asked Questions
- Did you make this?
- Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
- More to Cook And Eat
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Video: watch us make this Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
We’re all about comforting soup recipes that nourish the body and soul, and this homemade chicken noodle soup does just that. Here’s why we love it so much:
- Ultimate Comfort: This recipe is the definition of winter comfort food. The warm, savory broth and tender chicken and noodles are incredibly soothing.
- Easy to Make: The straightforward recipe makes it easy for anyone to recreate this classic dish. We sometimes serve it alongside our Best Homemade Mac and Cheese.
- Intensely Flavorful Broth: The slow simmer of the chicken carcass creates the most flavorful broth, giving you a soup that tastes like it’s been cooking all day. It reminds us of this Pot Roast with Gravy.
- Nutritious and Healthy: This has always been one of those healthy meals my kids devoured. It’s packed with protein and veggies.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Cooked Chicken – The rotisserie chicken not only provides the protein for our soup but also infuses the broth with a rich, savory flavor.
- Fresh Vegetables – Carrots, celery, onions, and garlic add a robust, aromatic base to our soup, and we use even more carrots and celery in the noodle soup for added texture.
- Egg Noodles – We love the way the broad, flat egg noodles soak up the delicious broth, and they add a comforting, hearty element to the soup.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are a few variations and substitution ideas:
- Veggies: Feel free to add or substitute your favorite veggies in this soup. Green beans, peas, or even some leafy greens like spinach would work great.
- Noodles: We love the classic egg noodles in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite type of pasta.
- Protein: Instead of using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, you can boil some chicken breasts or thighs in the broth and shred the meat before adding the noodles. If it’s after the holidays, leftover turkey works great as well.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- In a large stock pot, sauté olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic until soft.
- Add chicken, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the broth. Skim off the grease and strain the broth into another pot.
- Season the strained broth with salt and pepper. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.
- In a separate pot, cook the noodles until al dente.
- Remove the skin from the chicken and shred the meat. Add it to the broth along with the cooked noodles. Season with salt and pepper to serve.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead strategies for this recipe:
- Broth: This flavorful broth can be prepared in advance. Follow the recipe to make the broth, then let it cool and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Make Ahead Entirely: This soup is also great for batch cooking. Make a big pot of it and enjoy it throughout the week or freeze it for later.
What To Serve With Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Sides and Sandwiches
- Try some Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, panini, or Cheese Crackers alongside this tasty soup.
- We also love having it with some Air Fryer Broccoli on the side!
- Some potatoes served alongside it will also not go amiss! Try these Parmesan Roasted Potatoes or Smashed Potatoes.
Bread and Rolls
- While chicken noodle soup contains plenty of noodles, you can still serve it with a side of bread. A slice of crusty French Bread or some Easy Dinner Rolls is perfect for soaking up the delicious broth.
- Homemade Biscuits are also incredible on the side of this chicken noodle soup.
More Protein
- We love serving this soup as a starter before a main course of Roast Chicken or Steak.
- Grilled Chicken Legs or 10-Minute Garlic Shrimp also go great with it!
Commonly Asked Questions
What type of chicken should I use?
We recommend using a whole rotisserie chicken for the broth. It’s convenient and full of flavor. We also love leftover holiday turkey, carcass and all.
Can I use store-bought chicken broth instead of making my own?
Yes, you can. If you’re short on time, you can use store-bought chicken broth for the base. It won’t have the same depth of flavor as the homemade version, but it will still be delicious, especially with all the added ingredients.
How long does homemade chicken noodle soup keep?
Homemade chicken noodle soup can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container to maintain its freshness.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Nothing else beats a cozy, warm, and comforting bowl of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. Save those chicken and turkey bones to make the best broth in the world. No other broth comes close.
Ingredients
For the broth
- 1 TB olive oil
- 2 carrots, peeled and coined
- 4 stalks celery, washed and sliced thin
- 2 onions, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken, see notes
For the noodle soup
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and coined
- 5 stalks celery, washed and sliced thin
- 1 whole onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 12 oz egg noodles, see notes
- table salt, to taste
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
- freshly chopped chives, for garnish
- parsley, for garnish
Instructions
For Broth
- Add olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, and garlic in a very large stock pot. Sauté on medium high until vegetables are soft.
- Add chicken, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Add enough water to fully submerge entire chicken.
- Bring stock pot to boil. Turn heat to low, and simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to half its original amount, approximately 2-3 hours, or until liquid is reduced to half of what you started with.
- Remove chicken from broth and set aside. Skim grease off top of broth. Strain the broth into the pot you want to use for the noodle soup.
For Noodle Soup
- Season strained broth with salt and pepper to taste. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Bring to boil. Cook until veggies are very tender, about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pot, cook noodles in salted water according to package instructions just until al dente. Drain noodles (do not rinse), and add to broth.
- Remove skin from chicken and collect as much chicken meat as you can, shredding it as you go. Add shredded chicken it to the broth. Throw out the carcass.
- If needed, season noodle soup with more salt or pepper to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley or chives and serve hot.
Notes
- Broth will be reduced down to half. If you are using chicken and want more broth, just add more water to begin with, knowing you’ll end up with half that amount.
- We love egg noodles, rotini, spaghetti, or fettuccini noodles – it’s up to you!
- If you’d like to use leftover turkey carcass and have more broth, feel free to cook more noodles to keep it proportionate.
- This recipe is one of approximates, so the amounts given are flexible. Just don’t skimp on simmer time.
- To make this recipe with whole uncooked chicken: Remove giblets first and proceed with the recipe. Ensure chicken is fully cooked through before removing and shredding.
- This recipe is part of our Soups and Stews Recipe Collection.
- A slice of crusty French Bread or some Easy Dinner Rolls are perfect for soaking up this delicious soup broth.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 239kcal | Carbohydrates: 46.6g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.5g | Sodium: 164.2mg | Fiber: 7.3g | Sugar: 11.2g
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