I don’t remember the last time I was able to say the words ‘chicken noodle soup’ without triggering a catchy song in the back of my mind. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go listen to the Korean Pop song, Chicken Noodle Soup by BTS and Becky G, which pretty much took over the world in 2019.
Real talk now, I’ve got a no-frills, easy chicken noodle soup recipe that will melt in your mouth. Every spoonful has tender cooked veggies, soft shredded chicken, and a heartwarming chicken broth. Oh, and noodles, of course, but more on that later.
This one-pot chicken soup is healthy too. Thanks to the vegetables, this soup is super nutritious. Especially during flu season, it is just amazing. The power combo of ginger and turmeric is nature’s way of soothing colds and upset tummies. If you’re looking for a way to feed a cold, a pot of classic chicken noodle soup is the way to go.
Even if you’re not sick, though, make this as comfort food and it will surely warm up your heart and your tummy… very much like a hug from Grandma. I’m going to be repeating this recipe (together with this beef stew recipe) in the winter, that’s for sure.
If you tried this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, let me know.
What Kind of Noodles Should I Use for This Soup?
In this recipe, I’ve used egg noodles. Egg noodles are springy and smell so good – thin long strands are regularly used in Asian-inspired recipes. However, in supermarkets, you can also find them spiral-shaped. They are curly and actually quite adorable, but the real reason they’re my go-to noodle is that they’re small and easily scooped up with a spoon.
After all, what’s so appealing about chicken noodle soup is that you can curl up under a blanket and each spoonful is filled with a bit of everything, am I right?
Similarly, you can go for any small pasta such as elbow macaroni, spiral pasta (rotini), or ribbon-shaped farfalle.
Recipe Ingredients
This recipe makes 8 to 10 bowls of homemade chicken noodle soup.
- Unsalted butter – Gets the soup going by getting the vegetables all buttery and fragrant.
- Sweet onion, carrots, celery ribs, and garlic – Chop up the mirepoix until they are bite-sized. Time-saving tip: buy pre packed mirepoix at the supermarket. If it does not include garlic, buy minced garlic or mince it yourself at home.
- Ground turmeric and ginger – Ground turmeric and freshly grated ginger lend some spicy, aromatic notes to the chicken soup. Turmeric is a natural remedy for curing colds whilst ginger aids digestion.
- Chicken broth – Hearty chicken broth has a light chicken flavor which is perfect for this soup.
- Chicken breasts – We will need 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. They will be shredded up later. Any other cuts of chicken you have at home will work fine, but bone-in chicken will be more difficult to pull apart. Chicken breasts are the easiest by far.
- Egg noodles – Buy large and wide egg noodles. I used the spiral, curly ones in this recipe as they are bite-sized and can fit on a spoon.
- Bay leaf, dried thyme, and parsley leaves – Bay leaf and dried thyme will simmer in the soup, releasing the best natural oils from fresh herbs. Save the parsley for the end, just before serving.
- Lemon juice – Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the soup. A little bit of acidity will do wonders to lift the flavor of the soup. Without a bit of lemon juice, chicken noodle soup would taste flat and just savory.
- Salt and pepper – Only sprinkle salt and pepper to finish off before serving, as chicken broth already contains salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Melt unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Stir-fry the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until tender and fragrant.
- Pro Tip: Carrots and celery have a harder texture and will take a longer time to soften through, but don’t worry. They’ll get more time in the soup to cook.
Step Two: Next, add the grated ginger and ground turmeric into the pot, sauteing for 1 minute. It should be evenly combined with the mirepoix.
Step Three: Pour in 2 cartons of the chicken broth. Add the dried thyme and 2 bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Give it a stir to mix everything together. Add the chicken breasts and bring to a boil. Then, let it simmer on medium-low heat and put the lid on until the chicken is cooked through. This should take about 30 to 40 minutes.
Step Four: Remove the chicken breasts and let them cool in a deep, large bowl. Using a hand mixer, shred the chicken on low speed. Continue until your chicken is evenly shredded.
- Pro Tip: If you don’t want to break out the hand mixer or don’t have one at home, simply chop up the cooked chicken into smaller chunks. They should be soft enough to pull apart by hand.
Step Five: Put the shredded chicken back in the pot. Add the egg noodles and pour in the remaining 1 carton of chicken broth. Cook until the egg noodles are tender and al dente.
- Pro Tip: The egg noodles will soak up the soup as it cooks. Have the extra chicken broth nearby to top it up. With that said, do not add the egg noodles until you are ready to serve because they will get too soggy if they are overcooked.
Step Six: Remove the soup from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the chopped parsley and lemon juice. Give it another taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
Serve immediately.
Other Soup Ingredients
Try these delicious add-ins to jazz up the chicken noodle soup:
- Tomatoes – Slice a few tomatoes into wedges and let them simmer in the soup. You’ll get a bright, lively soup with a tinge of zing.
- Tofu – Cut soft tofu into small cubes and add it alongside the egg noodles. Tofu instantly makes any soup more homely.
- Sesame oil – Instead of using butter to stir-fry the vegetables at the beginning, use sesame oil. The nutty aroma will completely change the flavor profile of this soup.
- Scallion – Garnish the soup with a handful of scallion in each bowl for a pop of freshness. Cut the leaves of the scallion into 1-inch pieces.
Storage Instructions
This is an amazing make-ahead meal. I always make extra as it freezes well (up to 1 month). It’s perfect for warming up in the winter or to serve anyone who is under the weather.
Once the soup has cooled, I portion the soup into freezer containers and freeze this soup so I have quick and easy meals ready to go during the week. To reheat, simply thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat it in the microwave or over a stovetop.
Reheating reduces the soup a little bit, altering the flavor, so you may need to doctor the soup by either adding more chicken broth, water, or seasoning.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large sweet onion diced
- 16 garlic cloves minced
- 3 large carrots peeled and diced
- 3 celery ribs diced
- 3 cartons of chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons ground turmeric
- 6 tablespoons ginger freshly grated
- 1/2 teaspoon each salt and freshly ground black pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 cups large wide egg noodles curly ones
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves chopped
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt unsalted butter in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Next add in grated ginger and ground turmeric. Saute for 1 minute.
- Whisk in 2 cartons of the chicken broth, thyme, bay leaves and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer on medium low, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30-40 minutes.
- Remove chicken and let cool before shredding.
- Add the chicken to a large deep bowl and use a hand mixer on low speed to carefully break apart the chicken into shreds. Continue until your chicken is evenly shredded.
- Stir in cooked, shredded chicken, egg noodles and remaining 1 carton of chicken broth back to pot and cook until tender, about 7-8 minutes.
- Remove from heat; remove the bay leaf, stir in parsley and lemon juice.
- Serve immediately.
