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Homemade chicken noodle soup is one of the easiest and most comforting dishes out there! Making it entirely from scratch is so easy. The taste is definitely in the broth.
Yes, you can even make your own noodles just like grandma used to!
Chicken Noodle Soup is synonymous with words like comfort, well being and nourishment. Chances are you grew up eating and loving your mother’s or grandmother’s version of this iconic dish.
And you crave its nostalgic taste whenever any type of adversity strikes. Even as insignificant as bad weather!
The recipe I am sharing today is fashioned after my paternal grandmother’s. She made hers entirely from scratch. She also made her own noodles.
I am not saying you have to do that. But if you are after a slow afternoon in the kitchen, take a look at my recipe for homemade fresh pasta. I used a This is an affiliate link.pasta machine, which made it super easy and quick, but granny definitely rolled her noodles by hand!
Rolling them by hand made the noodles thick and, somehow, incredibly satisfying to slurp!
Homemade chicken noodle soup
Perhaps the reason why chicken noodle soup is such an important part of our lives is that it has always been with us. It’s tough to trace the true origins of the soup, with recipes found in ancient Chinese, Jewish and European cuisine, to name but a few.
Why have we been making and eating it for so long? It just makes sense as a meal. It takes a relatively small amount of meat and stretches it out with vegetables, noodles and flavoursome broth. Soup was also a great way to use the stringy, tough meat from old chickens which was hard to prepare with other methods.
Although it has been around for a long time, the popularity of chicken noodle soup in North America has a lot to do with the rapid growth of canned soups during and after World War II. Campbell’s chicken noodle soup in particular was seen as an easy way to get a meal on the table.
But I don’t think even Campbell’s think that their canned soup is as good as homemade. The amazing flavours and nutritious ingredients brought into a homemade soup make it far, far superior to anything you’ll find on a supermarket shelf.
Whatever the origin, the basic building blocks remain the same but with a bit of variety in the added flavours. The version that I’m sharing here is the one I grew up with, and is based on a Eastern European recipe. But I think the flavours here will be familiar to anyone who grew up in North America as well.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- I said it before and I will say it again that the broth is the most delicious and essential part of any soup. That is why I advocate for making a homemade stock whenever possible. It’s much easier than it sounds. No, you don’t need hours for that! Mine took 30 minutes.
- The main ingredient for achieving rich, flavourful broth is found in chicken bones. I know many people love to eat boneless chicken breasts in their soup. Fair enough, however they simply don’t provide enough flavour for the stock. That is why I included 2 bone-in chicken thighs in addition to the breasts for maximum flavour.
- I also added a couple of bay leaves, whole peppercorns and salt to the pot to get my stock started. Always skim the impurities, that float to the top, to keep the broth clear. I also strain it at the end of the cooking time because I love it to be extra clear but you don’t have to if you are short on time.
- I start with the classic three vegetables for the base flavour of the soup. Onion, celery and carrot. But I can never resist not adding a clove of garlic as my mother always did as well as fresh dill and parsley.
- Sauté the vegetables in butter, which will add another layer of flavour.
- Drop the noodles in at the end and cook no longer than 7-8 minutes. Otherwise they will be overcooked.
- Serve with extra sprinkling of fresh herbs. They are not expensive and readily available in the winter nowadays. Fresh herbs perk up any soup or stew as well as remind us of summer days.
Serving suggestions
This soup could be eaten for lunch or dinner. If you are serving it as a main course, I would recommend adding crusty bread. My easy No Knead Oven Bread or Sourdough Bread will make the meal extra delicious.
Soup and sandwich is also a winning combo. I have a few that would be heavenly served alongside this soup, including Maple BLT, Ham and Cheese Toastie, and Focaccia Sandwich.
Storage and leftovers
I’m a big fan of making this soup and having it in the fridge for a convenient lunch. It’ll keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.
It can also be frozen for up to three months, but with a caveat that the noodles will become unpleasantly soggy after freezing.
The solution is to not add noodles to soup you are planning to freeze. Instead, add the uncooked noodles only when you are reheating the soup. Here is what you need to do. Bring the to a boil, add your noodles and cook according to package instructions. You might also want to add some extra stock when you are reheating the soup after being frozen.
Favourite Chicken Soup Recipes
- Creamy Chicken Bacon Gnocchi Soup
- Chicken and Dumpling Soup
- Creamy Chicken Wild Rice Soup
- Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Mushroom Soup with Bulgar
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- This is an affiliate link.Cast iron Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 litres/8 cups cold water
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 skinless bone-in chicken thighs
- 3 This is an affiliate link.bay leaves
- 4-5 whole peppercorns
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 clove garlic
- 125g/4 oz egg noodles
Instructions
- To the soup pot, add 2 chicken breast and 2 chicken thighs, 2 bay leaves, the peppercorns and a pinch of salt. Pour in cold water and set to boil over medium heat. Once it boils, lower the heat to simmer and cook for 30 minutes with a lid slightly ajar. Make sure to skim the foam off the top to keep the broth clear.
- At the end of the cooking time, remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Shred with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth through a sieve to remove the impurities, the bay leaves and the peppercorns. Set the clarified broth aside till needed.
- In the same pot melt the butter and saute the onions, celery and carrots for 5 minutes over medium heat, then add 1 pressed garlic clove and cook briefly for 30 seconds. Pour the broth over the vegetables, and add the chicken back to the pot, bring everything to a boil. Then add the noodles and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Sprinkle with fresh dill and parsley before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this soup tonight. It was really delicious. I served it with homemade garlic butter spread on storebought French bread. It was all wonderful!
Thank you so much for your lovely review, Patsy!
This homemade chicken noodle soup is incredible. So much better than the canned soups. And it is super easy to make. Love it!
Thank you!
I really love how comforting this is! Everyone at my house loved it.
This was the most delicious and comforting soup. PERFECT for fall!
It is absolutely perfect for colder months, isn’t it!!