Easy Chicken Noodle Soup (One Pot, 40 Minutes)

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe chicken noodle soup recipe turns simple pantry ingredients into a golden, comforting bowl in 40 minutes. Tender chicken, silky egg noodles, and sweet vegetables simmer in a thyme scented broth that tastes like it cooked all afternoon. Everything happens in one pot, so dinner comes together fast and cleanup stays easy. It suits a cold evening or a busy weeknight.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 bowls
Calories: About 280 per serving

Quick Ingredients: olive oil, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, chicken breasts or thighs, wide egg noodles, fresh parsley, salt, black pepper, lemon juice.

Quick Steps: Sauté the onion, carrots, and celery. Add the broth, bay leaves, and thyme and bring to a gentle boil. Poach the chicken, shred it, and set it aside. Cook the noodles in the broth, stir the chicken back in with the parsley, season, and serve hot.

Why Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Noodle Soup Recipe Works

Poaching the chicken directly in the broth is the move that makes chicken noodle soup recipe taste slow cooked. The chicken seasons the liquid as it cooks, and the liquid keeps the chicken moist. Shredding the meat after poaching gives every spoonful tender pieces instead of dry cubes.

Cooking the noodles in the same pot adds a second benefit. Their starch loosens into the broth and gives it a lightly thickened body without cream or flour.

The finish matters as much as the simmer. A squeeze of lemon juice at the end brightens the whole pot without making it taste lemony. Salt and pepper go in last so you can season the finished soup accurately.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Noodle Soup Recipe

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, for softening the vegetables
• 1 medium onion, diced small so it melts into the broth
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 3 celery stalks, sliced, leaves included if they look fresh
• 3 cloves garlic, minced and added last so it does not burn
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth, which lets you control the salt
• 2 bay leaves, removed before serving
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs for a juicier result
• 6 oz wide egg noodles, which hold up better than thin pasta
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped, stirred in at the end
• Salt and black pepper to taste, added after the soup is assembled
• Squeeze of fresh lemon juice, optional but recommended

Low sodium broth is worth seeking out here. Regular broth varies a lot in salt, and since the broth reduces slightly as it simmers, a salty starting point can leave the finished soup over seasoned. Taste before you add extra salt.

Chicken thighs are the better pick if you plan leftovers, since breast meat dries out faster on reheating while thighs stay tender. Either cut works for serving right away.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Noodle Soup Recipe

Step 1: Sauté the aromatics

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown, since browned garlic turns bitter.

Step 2: Build the broth

Pour in the chicken broth, add the bay leaves and thyme, and bring to a gentle boil. A rolling boil can toughen the chicken in the next step, so look for steady bubbles breaking the surface rather than a violent churn.

Step 3: Poach the chicken

Add the chicken breasts, reduce the heat to a steady simmer, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees Fahrenheit inside. Thicker breasts may need the full time, so check the thickest part before moving on. Keep the simmer gentle throughout, because hard boiling makes the meat stringy.

Step 4: Shred

Remove the chicken to a plate and shred it with two forks, pulling along the grain into bite sized pieces. Discard the bay leaves at this point so nobody finds one in a bowl later.

Step 5: Cook the noodles

Return the broth to a boil, add the egg noodles, and cook until just tender, for 6 to 8 minutes. Check the package time and pull the noodles a minute early if you like them firm, since they keep softening in the hot broth after serving.

Step 6: Finish

Stir the shredded chicken back in along with the parsley. Season generously with salt and pepper, and add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten everything up. Serve hot, with extra parsley on top if you like. Taste before ladling into bowls and adjust the salt once more.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Tips

• Do not overcook the noodles. Pull them when just tender. Mushy noodles ruin an otherwise perfect soup, and they only get softer as the pot sits.
• Thighs over breasts for leftovers. Chicken thighs stay juicier for leftovers, while breast meat dries out faster on reheating.
• The lemon matters. A small squeeze at the end wakes up all the flavors without making the soup taste lemony. Add it gradually and taste as you go.
• Keep the simmer gentle. A hard boil toughens poached chicken and clouds the broth. Steady, lazy bubbles are the right heat.
• Season at the end. Broth, noodles, and chicken all bring their own salt, so the final seasoning step is the one you can trust. Taste the finished soup before adding more.

Variations

Rotisserie shortcut: skip the poaching step. Add 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken with the noodles and simmer for 10 minutes. This cuts about 15 minutes off the total time and works well on nights when dinner needs to be faster.

Creamy version: stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream at the end for a richer broth. Add it off the boil and warm it through gently, since boiling cream can separate.

Gluten free: use your favorite gluten free pasta and check that your broth is certified gluten free.

Extra veggie: add a handful of baby spinach or frozen peas in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Both wilt or heat through quickly without changing the total time, and they add color to the bowl.

Storage and Freezing

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. The noodles absorb broth overnight, so the second day bowl will be thicker than the first. Add a splash of broth when reheating to loosen it back up.

For meal prep, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl at serving time. That keeps the noodles firm across several days and keeps the broth clear.

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe chicken noodle soup recipe freezes best without the noodles, since noodles turn mushy when thawed. Freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container, leaving room at the top for expansion. Thaw overnight in the fridge, bring to a simmer, and cook fresh noodles to stir in. For safe storage times on all leftovers, follow the USDA leftovers and food safety guidelines.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the soup with crusty bread for dipping, or with a simple green salad if you want something fresh beside it. For another cozy one pot dinner, try our easy chicken pot pie. And pair chicken noodle soup recipe with our easy homemade banana bread for dessert.

Store leftover chicken noodle soup recipe in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 4 days for the best quality.

For the best results with this chicken noodle soup recipe, follow the steps in order and check for doneness a few minutes before the time is up.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does homemade chicken noodle soup last? 3 to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. The noodles soften over time, so cook them separately if you are planning leftovers.

Can I freeze chicken noodle soup? Yes, but freeze it without the noodles, since they turn mushy when thawed. Freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables for up to 3 months, and cook fresh noodles when reheating.

Should I cook the noodles separately? If you are serving it all immediately, cooking them in the pot is fine and adds starch that lightly thickens the broth. If you want leftovers, cook them separately.

What herbs go best in chicken noodle soup? Thyme and parsley are the classics. Bay leaves add depth while simmering, and a little dill at the end is lovely too.