Chicken Noodle Soup

I’ve made a lot of chicken noodle soup over the years, and this is hands-down my favorite recipe! I make it with tender chicken, fresh vegetables and herbs, hearty noodles swimming in a rich, and a flavorful broth for the ultimate cozy family dinner. I’ve included my tried-and-true stovetop, slow cooker, and Instant Pot methods, so this classic comfort food is easy to make no matter how much time you have.

There is nothing quite like a classic homemade chicken noodle soup! And my best chicken soup recipe seriously raises the bar on how delicious chicken soup can be. I have a few criteria on what classic chicken noodle soup should be: It should look and smell comforting. It should be full of flavor, yet gentle on the belly. It should have a good balance of noodles, vegetables, and chicken floating in a lightly zesty broth. But above all, chicken noodle soup should be easy to make. This classic recipe hits all the marks and then some. It has the comfort of chicken and dumplings, but it a light, wholesome, healing broth!

Valerie – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Absolutely delicious! I usually take a shortcut when making this soup and get the already cooked rotisserie chicken. I won’t be doing that again now that I know how much more flavor is added by cooking the chicken pieces. Also, have never added lemon juice before….the soup is just so flavorful! Yum. 

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Bone-in chicken thighs – I prefer bone-in thighs because they give the broth incredible flavor and stay wonderfully tender as they cook. You can also use a combination of bone-in thighs and breasts if you like a mix of dark and white meat.
• Onion and garlic – These are essential for building a flavorful soup base. I sauté them before adding the broth to mellow their sharpness and bring out their savory-sweetness.
• Celery and carrots – I slice the celery fairly thin so it becomes tender and distributes evenly throughout the soup. I cut the carrots into rounds, trying to keep them about the same thickness so they cook evenly. If your carrots are especially thick, I like to cut the rounds in half.
• Chicken broth – This makes up the base of the soup, so I recommend using a good-quality broth you really like. If you’re using low-sodium broth, you’ll probably need to add a little extra salt at the end. Chicken base + water are also a good option.
• Fresh thyme leaves and parsley – Fresh thyme gives the broth such a lovely earthy, herbaceous flavor. Dried thyme works too; just remember that dried herbs are more concentrated, so you’ll need less. At the end, I stir chopped parsley so it stays bright and fresh instead of disappearing into the broth.
• Bay leaves – I add bay leaves while the soup simmers for another layer of deep, savory flavor. Just remember to fish them out before serving!
• Turmeric – A little turmeric gives my chicken noodle soup that gorgeous golden color. You don’t need much. We’re using it mainly for color rather than making the soup taste like turmeric.
• Kluski egg noodles – I love Kluski noodles because their thick, hearty texture makes the soup feel almost homemade from scratch. They hold up beautifully in that rich chicken broth too.
• Fresh lemon juice – A splash of lemon juice at the end is one of my favorite tricks for chicken soup! You don’t want the soup to taste lemony. It simply brightens all those rich, savory flavors.

How To Make

Find the full recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, video tutorial, and cooking tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post. There, you will also find Crock Pot and Instant Pot instructions!

Brown the chicken – First, I set a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once it’s hot, I place the chicken skin-side down in the pot and let it brown until the skin is nice and golden. I try not to move the chicken around too much while it’s browning. A little patience here creates better color and leaves behind lots of flavorful drippings for the soup.

Sauté the vegetables – Next, I remove the chicken and add the onions and minced garlic right into those delicious chicken drippings. I sauté them for several minutes to soften, then stir in the celery, carrots, and fresh thyme and cook for another minute or two. Make sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot because that’s pure flavor!

Simmer the soup – I place the chicken pieces back into the pot and pour in the chicken broth. Then I add the bay leaves and turmeric, cover the pot, and bring everything to a boil. Once boiling, I reduce the heat and let the soup gently simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through. I prefer a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil. This keeps the chicken tender and gives the flavors plenty of time to mingle.

Add the noodles – Once the chicken is cooked, I stir the egg noodles into the simmering broth and cook them until they’re just tender. Kluski noodles cook quickly, so I start checking them early. You don’t want to overcook them, especially if you plan on having leftovers, since they’ll continue to soften in the hot broth.

Shred the chicken – I transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool just enough to handle. Then I remove the skin and bones and shred the tender meat into bite-sized pieces before stirring it back into the soup.

Freshen it up – Finally, I stir in the fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. I love adding both at the very end because they brighten up the rich, savory broth without overpowering it. Then I give the soup one final taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Don’t forget to remove those bay leaves before serving!

Expert Tips

Make sure to get a good sear on the chicken first! This builds flavor in the pot and offers more flavor than just boiling the chicken.

Use a flavorful broth. The broth makes all the difference here in this chicken soup recipe when making chicken noodle soup. Make sure to use a high-quality broth, and if you can, make it homemade.

For ease, you can use shredded rotisserie chicken instead. However, the broth will not have as much flavor as when you cook raw chicken in it! Add the shredded leftover chicken in at the end so that it does not get overcooked!

Serving Suggestions

You can eat this homemade chicken noodle soup on its own, or serve it with some delicious sides to create a more hearty meal! Whenever I am feeding a crowd, I like to have some additional side dishes to make sure everyone gets nice and full. Here are some of my favorites to pair with chicken soup:

Homemade breadsticks, garlic bread, cheesy pull-apart bread, or fluffy biscuits are all fabulous carby options for dunking in the broth.

I also like to throw in a salad on occasion, like my wedge salad recipe, or a simple green salad with my homemade Caesar dressing.

Storage

If stored properly in an airtight container, this recipe can last in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. To thaw, set the container in the fridge overnight, then warm over low heat. Do not stir until the broth has fully melted, or the noodles will turn to mush.

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