This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe is pure comfort food. It is simple but full of flavor! Using basic ingredients, you can have this delicious soup on the table fast!
If you want something even cozier than soup, make this chicken and dumplings next.
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I work from home, but so many of my friends and family are also now stuck in the house! Although none of us are sick yet, schools are closed and major community events are canceled or postponed. This means I need easy food that doesn’t have a ton of ingredients and is quick to make!
If you need comfort food and have only pantry staples, this soup is going to make you very happy! If you have carrots, onions, celery, broth, and any kind of pasta – we’re in business!
Making soup from scratch really isn’t difficult and sure beats the canned varieties. This is a really basic recipe that you can make quickly have on the table in about 20-30 minutes.
This is a soup I make whenever we’re not feeling well, or just need a soup-day. When anyone in my household gets a cold and feels miserable, this soup is always on the menu! It’s exactly what we all feel like.
My kids love this soup – I mean, what is not to love? Chicken, veggies and noodles are all good things. I feel good knowing that I can make delicious food to comfort my family, that they will actually eat and enjoy. I feel like there are bonus points when my kids eat what I make without complaint.
Check out my Turkey Rice Soup, which is great for using up leftover chicken, too!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you freeze chicken noodle soup?
Yes, if you PLAN to freeze the soup, store the noodles separately. When you reheat, you can add the noodles then and they’ll cook in the broth.
To freeze – cool the soup completely, and place in airtight containers with lids. Leave a little room for it to expand when it freezes.
To reheat – thaw and warm gently in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Is chicken noodle soup good for you?
Yes! Especially if you use homemade chicken stock or broth made from simmering chicken bones and vegetables.
What kind of chicken to use?
I make chicken noodle soup with chicken breast, but you can use a rotisserie chicken, leftover roasted chicken. Whatever you have. I have included how to cook chicken JUST for soup, below.
What kind of noodles?
Egg noodles are GREAT, as is orzo, ditalini, shells – any small pasta will be amazing in this. If you’re into tiny pasta in cozy broth, you’ll love pastina for an easy comfort bowl.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It uses basic ingredients like chicken breasts, carrots, onions, celery, chicken stock, and seasoning.
- The recipe is super easy to follow (and I’ve included pictures of the steps below).
- You can use homemade chicken broth (or stock – recipe below)
- Chicken noodle soup is healthy – and will fill your tummy without irritating it as well as hydrate you while you recover!
For more soup, how about my 15 bean soup (made in the crockpot), Corn Chowder, or this YUMMY Chicken Tortilla Soup?!
I have included step-by-step photos and instructions, as well as tips and tricks in the post. If you’d rather skip all that, scoot right on down to the full recipe card located at the bottom of the post.
Kylee’s Notes
Add a couple of bay leaves while simmering for a yummy savory flavor. Remove before serving!
A fresh squeeze of lemon juice will really brighten this soup.
If you don’t have carrots, onions or celery, you can use whatever you have. Vegetable noodle soup is totally a thing.
Keep the basic amounts the same (vegetables and liquids), and play around with seasoning types. Italian seasoning is a good one that most people have, and it does very well in this soup.
Freezing instructions
To freeze – cool the soup completely, and place in airtight containers with lids. Leave a little room for it to expand when it freezes.
To reheat – thaw and warm gently in a saucepan or in the microwave.
Key Recipe Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is found in the printable recipe card below.
How to cook chicken for soup
It’s super easy. I typically use leftover rotisserie chicken, but whenever I have a hankering to make this, here’s what I do:
Poaching
Add chicken breasts, a little salt and pepper and enough water or chicken broth to cover the chicken to a saucepan. Heat to a simmer, and cook until chicken reaches 165F. Cool completely, before dicing.
Instant Pot
Season the chicken breasts, and add to the instant pot, using the trivet. Add 1 cup of water or chicken broth to the pot.
Cover, seal and set to high pressure for 10 minutes. Do a quick release. Cool completely before dicing.
How to make chicken noodle soup from scratch
Scroll for Recipe
This next part is only a photo tutorial of the recipe steps. The full list of ingredients, quantities and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
Melt some butter in a dutch oven or large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, celery, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies soften then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes (or until carrots are cooked and pasta is tender)
Try these easy soup recipes:
- Loaded Baked Potato Soup – like comfort in a bowl. A recipe that is easily doubled or tripled to feed a crowd.
- Asian Style Chicken & Corn Soup – packed with flavor – warming and filling, perfect for the whole family!
- Homemade Tomato Soup – made from scratch, this easy soup recipe can be made from pantry staples, and FAST!
- Cheesy Cauliflower Soup – serious comfort food, and as a bonus – it comes with a dose of vegetables! Family friendly, and perfect for cold days!
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Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (diced)
- 4 celery stalks (diced)
- 4 large carrots (peeled and diced)
- 64 ounces chicken stock
- 2-3 large chicken breasts (cooked and diced)
- 1 1/2 cup small pasta (we used ditalini)
- 2-3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
Directions
- In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add 3 cloves garlic (minced), 1 onion (diced), and 4 celery stalks (diced). Cook until the celery and onions are translucent.
- Add the remaining ingredients (64 ounces chicken stock, 4 large carrots (peeled and diced), 2-3 large chicken breasts, 1 1/2 cup small pasta, and 2-3 tablespoons poultry seasoning).
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes.
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Notes
Nutrition Facts
Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Update: This was originally posted in 2012, and has been updated with new photos to improve reader experience.
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