Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup 

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Of course! Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is the ultimate comfort food. It’s healing, satisfying, and far superior to anything from a can.

This recipe is a classic, from-scratch version that builds a rich, flavorful broth. I’ll give you the stovetop method, along with tips for shortcuts and customizations.

The Ultimate Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe yields a large pot of soup, perfect for a family meal or for having leftovers that taste even better the next day.

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 30 minutes (mostly hands-off)

Ingredients

For the Broth & Chicken:

· 1 whole (3-4 lb) chicken, OR 2-3 lbs of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs/breasts
· 1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved
· 3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
· 3-4 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
· 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise (no need to peel)
· 1 bay leaf
· 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
· 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
· A small handful of fresh parsley stems
· Cold water, to cover (about 10-12 cups)
· 1 tablespoon salt, plus more to taste

For the Soup:

· 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
· 1 cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium)
· 1 cup sliced carrots (about 2 medium, cut into 1/4″ half-moons)
· 1 cup sliced celery (about 2 stalks, cut into 1/4″ slices)
· 2 cloves garlic, minced
· 8 oz wide egg noodles, or your favorite pasta
· 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
· 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped (optional, but highly recommended)
· Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
· Juice of 1/2 a lemon (optional, brightens the flavor)

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Rich Chicken Broth

  1. Combine: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, place the whole chicken (or parts), the halved onion, chunked carrots, celery, halved garlic head, bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme, and parsley stems.
  2. Cover and Simmer: Add enough cold water to cover everything by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam or scum that rises to the top in the first 10 minutes.
  3. Cook: Let it simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 to 1.5 hours. The chicken should be completely tender and falling off the bone.

Step 2: Strain and Shred

  1. Remove Chicken: Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place it in a large bowl to cool.
  2. Strain Broth: Place a fine-mesh strainer over another large pot or bowl. Pour the entire contents of the pot through the strainer to capture all the solids and aromatics. Discard the solids (the boiled veggies have given up all their flavor).
  3. Skim Fat (Optional): Let the broth settle for a minute. Use a large spoon to skim off some of the fat from the top. Alternatively, you can refrigerate the broth for an hour until the fat solidifies on top, making it easy to remove.
  4. Shred Chicken: Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones.

Pro-Tip: You now have a beautiful, clear, and flavorful homemade chicken broth as your base. This is the secret to a truly great soup.

Step 3: Build the Soup

  1. Sauté Aromatics: In the same now-empty stockpot, heat the olive oil or butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until the vegetables have softened slightly. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  2. Combine: Pour the strained broth back into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Bring to a simmer.

Step 4: Final Assembly

  1. Cook Noodles: Add the egg noodles to the simmering broth and cook according to package directions (usually 6-8 minutes).
  2. Finish: Just before the noodles are done, add the shredded chicken back to the pot to warm through.
  3. Season: Stir in the chopped parsley and dill. Taste the soup and season generously with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper. For a bright finish, stir in the lemon juice.

Serve immediately in big bowls. Enjoy the comfort!

Recipe Notes & Customizations

· Shortcut Version (Using Pre-Cooked Chicken): No time to make broth? Use 8 cups (64 oz) of high-quality, low-sodium chicken broth. Sauté the fresh vegetables as in Step 3, then add the store-bought broth and 3-4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. Bring to a simmer and proceed with cooking the noodles.
· Noodle Note: To prevent the noodles from getting mushy in the leftovers, you can cook them separately in a pot of salted water. Ladle the finished soup (broth, veggies, chicken) over the noodles in each bowl.
· Add More Flavor: For a deeper flavor, add a parsnip with the initial broth ingredients, or a splash of white wine when sautéing the fresh vegetables.
· Make it Gluten-Free: Use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Jovial and Barilla make excellent options.
· Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup: At the end, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of heavy cream or half-and-half after you’ve added the chicken back in.

There you have it! A pot of golden, healing, and deeply satisfying homemade chicken noodle soup. It’s a labor of love that’s absolutely worth the effort.

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