Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
This easy chicken noodle soup recipe comes together in one pot in about 40 minutes, using shredded chicken, egg noodles, and a simple mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery for a golden, savory broth without any all-day simmering.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or stockpot - at least 6 quarts
- Sharp chef's knife - for dicing the vegetables
- Cutting board - ideally a large wooden cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula - for stirring
- Ladle - for serving
- Two forks - for shredding the chicken, or use meat shredding claws
- Vegetable peeler - for the carrots
- Fine mesh skimmer - (optional) for skimming foam to keep broth clear
- Glass Storage Containers with Lids - (optional) for storing leftovers
- Microplane grater - (optional) for finely grating garlic
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - 30 ml, or extra-virgin olive oil, for sautéing the vegetables
- 1 medium yellow onion - about 1 cup or 150g, diced
- 3 medium carrots - about 1 1/2 cups or 180g, peeled and sliced into coins
- 3 stalks celery - about 1 cup or 120g, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic - minced
- 8 cups chicken broth - 1.9 liters, or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme - or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles - 225g, such as a quality brand of wide egg noodles
- 3 cups cooked chicken - 420g, shredded; rotisserie or leftover roast works well
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley - 15g, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Set a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Add the minced garlic and stir constantly for about 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown, since burnt garlic turns bitter and will carry through the whole broth.
- Pour in all 8 cups of chicken broth, then add the dried thyme and bay leaves. Raise the heat to high and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes so the flavors meld and the carrots turn tender.
- Add the wide egg noodles directly to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until just tender. Check a minute early since egg noodles cook fast, and stir occasionally so they do not stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the shredded cooked chicken and let the soup cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, just until the chicken is heated through. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Stir in the chopped fresh parsley, then taste the broth and add salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve immediately while the noodles are at their best texture.
Notes
- Serve it right away. Egg noodles keep absorbing liquid, so the soup is at its peak the moment the noodles turn tender. Letting it sit is what causes bloating.
- Undercook noodles if you plan to wait. If dinner is still a while off, pull the noodles a minute or two early so they finish in the residual heat without going soft.
- Use low-sodium broth. This lets you control the salt yourself, especially important if your rotisserie chicken is already seasoned.
- Do not skip the bay leaf. It adds a subtle background depth that is hard to name but very noticeable when missing.
- Cut vegetables evenly. Uniform carrot coins and celery slices cook at the same rate, so nothing ends up crunchy or mushy.
- Add a squeeze of lemon. A small splash of fresh lemon juice at the end lifts the whole bowl and cuts through the richness.
- Shred, don't cube, the chicken. Shredded meat catches more broth and spreads through every spoonful better than neat cubes.
- Store noodles separately. For the best leftovers, keep cooked noodles in their own container and add them to individual bowls when reheating to prevent them from soaking up broth and turning soft.
- Freeze the base. Freeze the broth and chicken (without noodles) for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. The soup base keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- For a richer broth. Swap 2 cups of the broth for bone broth, or stir in a splash near the end to add body that plain broth alone cannot match.
Nutrition
Serving: 1BowlCalories: 285kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 24gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 890mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!