Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic soup recipe made with chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and egg noodles in a seasoned broth, ready in under 45 minutes!
If you love classic soups as much as we do, we’re confident you’re going to love our Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup, Vegetable Soup, and Cabbage Soup!
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
Chicken Noodle Soup is one of those old fashioned Soup Recipes that we all know and love, made with savory chicken in a seasoned broth with wholesome vegetables and noodles. I like to serve this with garlic bread or crackers. The crispy texture goes perfectly with the hot seasoned chicken stock.
I know a lot of people who swear by chicken noodle soup to treat a cold. Honestly, it’s probably the hot water that’s more soothing than the soup itself, but it certainly hits the spot during those times.
I love putting a big pot of this soup on the stove on cold rainy days, because it somehow just makes everything feel better.
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE WITH ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
Instead of using raw chicken, you can speed up the process by using already cooked rotisserie chicken.
- Cut up the chicken breasts and set to the side.
- After you sauté the vegetables add the carcass to the step where you add the chicken broth and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, add the cooked pasta and serve.
If you need to make this in a hurry, you can buy the pre-chopped vegetables along with the rotisserie chicken. It’s the fastest way to make this chicken noodle soup recipe, and always turns out great. You can also plan a bit ahead and chop the vegetables and store them in your fridge ahead of time.
MORE CHICKEN SOUP RECIPES TO TRY
Greek Chicken and Rice Soup (Avgolemono)
Chicken Taco Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Italian Chicken Soup
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER
- Add all ingredients except for the pasta to the slow cooker. Cook on high for 4 hours, or on low for 8 hours.
- Remove the chicken and shred, then return to the slow cooker with the cooked pasta and serve.
Use A Whole Chicken in the slow Cooker VErsion
You can also make chicken soup in the slow cooker with a whole chicken. Remove the giblets and wrap the bird in a cheesecloth. Cover completely with water, add seasoning to the slow cooker and set for high 4 hours or low 8 hours.
Remove and shred the bird, discarding the bones, then add back to the pot with the vegetables and cook an additional 1-2 hours, until the vegetables are soft. Add the egg noodles at the end and serve.
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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Turn on the sauté function and add butter or olive oil with onions, garlic, celery, salt and pepper.
- Cook until the onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
- Add all other ingredients to the instant pot except for the pasta.
- Cook on manual setting on high for a total time of 10 minutes, then release naturally.
- Once the pressure is released, remove the lid and take out the chicken breast.
- Shred, then return to the pot with cooked egg noodles, stirring to combine, and serve.
MORE NOODLE SOUP RECIPES:
Beef Noodle Soup
Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup with Spinach
Beef Stroganoff Soup
Turkey Soup
TIPS FOR MAKING CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
- Fresh Herbs: If you’d like to use fresh herbs for the chicken stock, like thyme or rosemary, tie them into a bundle with cooking twine. Then you can easily remove them when the soup is done.
- Skim Fat: When the homemade chicken noodle soup cools down, a layer of fat may solidify on the top. This is especially true if you used a whole chicken instead of chicken breasts. You can skim this off to reduce the fat in the dish. Or, it will melt back into the broth when reheated.
- Use the Carcass: If you do use a rotisserie or whole chicken, you can boil or slow cook the bones or freeze them to make chicken broth another night. I promise you, homemade chicken broth is easier then you think!
- Garnish: Garnish this with flat leaf parsley and a side of crunchy crackers.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
- Serve: You should never leave chicken out for more than 2 hours after cooking it.
- Store: Once the soup has cooled down to room temperature, put it in an airtight container to store it in the fridge. It will keep well for 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Chicken noodle soup is perfect for making ahead or making a double batch and freezing. Just make the recipe as written all the way up to shredding the chicken, then leave out the noodles. Cool the soup down completely, seal tightly in a container, and freeze.
When you’re ready to defrost, refrigerate the day before. Reheat on the stove in a saucepan and add cooked noodles at that time. Homemade chicken noodle soup will last frozen for 3-4 months.
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic soup recipe made with chicken, carrots, celery, onion, and egg noodles in a seasoned broth, ready in under 45 minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 stalks celery sliced thinly
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 carrots sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 8 ounces egg noodles cooked 1 minute shy of directions
Instructions
Add the butter to a large dutch oven on medium heat and cook the onions, garlic, celery, salt and pepper for 3-4 minutes or until translucent before adding in the broth, chicken, carrots, and thyme and bringing to a boil, then reducing to a simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks before returning to the soup with the cooked pasta and serve.
Recipe Notes
Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.
Super easy, super quick, super awesome!
I have made this once before and my spouse said it was one of the best chicken noodle soups I have ever made! And I make a lot of soup! All I have fresh right now is chicken thighs, I’m assuming I could swap he chicken breasts out for these!?
I’m glad he loves it so much. Feel free to use thighs or breasts for this soup. 🙂
I made this last night and it was delicious! I only made a couple of minor changes. I used olive oil instead of butter. I added the carrots early on along with the onions and celery. I also figured this was a good chance to use the leafy part of the celery. I did not add any salt. I used the whole breast from a rotisserie chicken. I would also like to add a tip for those who may not have thought of this. If you use a rotisserie chicken in a recipe always be sure to add the gelatinous stuff (aspic) in the bottom of the container. It is full of flavor! I used uncooked noodles so added an extra cup of water when I put them in as I knew they would suck up at least that much liquid. The ratio of chicken to noodles and broth seemed perfect. This was an EZ to follow recipe and well worth making. Thank you.
Thanks for your suggestions. I appreciate the 5 star rating.
Delicious taste!! & Super easy & quick to make. Couple of tweaks I made. Definitely need more chicken broth, maybe 3 more cups of it. Also a little less noodles. & I didn’t have fresh thyme, so I used 1 teaspoon of dried thyme & it taste amazing.
This is such a great and easy recipe! Love making it in the slow cooker.
I made it again this time since it’s yucky rain outside.
This time I made it with boneless chicken strips this time and it took way less time than last time. And I used 2 cartons of broth with 4 cups of water and 3 chicken bouillon cube powder. And doubled the noodles.
My husband didn’t even want crackers with it he gobbled it up so fast! Definitely a keeper recipe!
This soup is so perfect for a yucky rainy day, for sure!
Great flavors! But definitely not enough broth! We had to double the broth. We also added 2 chicken bouillon cubes for more chicken flavor. The friend I made it for said it was the best chicken noodle soup she has ever had, and that we should enter it into a contest lol. This recipe, with my changes is a keeper!
Glad you able to make adjustments to fit your liking.
WOW!!! This was amazing! I changed it a bit but to add more broth. My husband is picky with chicken noodle soup and doesn’t really like soup too much. But didn’t complain at all! Well he said it needed bread to go with it but that’s all.
I did add 3 cups water with 3 teaspoons of chicken bouillon powder because the reviews said it needed more broth.
I’ve already recommended this soup to others!
I’m sick with the stomach bug and needed it.
I love your blog. One of our favorite dinners is this
https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/one-pan-baked-chicken-brown-rice-vegetable-casserole/ but with white rice and no veggies because I make my own on the side.
I also can’t wait to try this https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-chicken-and-rice-soup/
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it. Hope you’re on the road to getting better, Kara.
Kayla I love your attitude about making soup my favorite pastime in winter month is making chili and soups your way is great keep making adjustments but dont go to extreme ..I am on the same page as you I have another piece of advice for you..look for chicken and beef soup base big game changer and I never ever add water to my soups that is a no no..
Am I suppose to put the raw chicken in and cook it in the broth? Or cook it first, before putting into broth?
You’ll add uncooked chicken into the broth and it’ll cook while in there. Enjoy!
This is absolutely delicious!!! It is officially my favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipe!!! Thankfully I doubled it, put 6oz total of pasta (will probably do 7-8oz next time) and had to put 2 more cups of chicken broth because it was definitely not soupy enough for my liking. The flavor is just perfect!! I do have a question, 2 out of my 3 large chicken breasts were definitely dry, any recommendations for not having dry chicken?
I’m not sure why they’d dry out with such a short cook time. Next time, you could try and add them in for the last 10-15 minutes of cook time. I hope this helps.
Hi,
currently making this soup…do you leave the top on to cook chicken
Nope, you would cook uncovered on a reduced heat.
I just made this recipe for my wife and daughter, and was very happy with the outcome!!! Loved it. I loved the freshness of it all. This is going into my recipes and looking forward to making it again. Thank you!! ??
Thanks for the review and letting me know! I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed.
Do you cook the chicken first and then add it to the pot with the broth?
No need to cook the chicken first for this recipe. I hope you enjoy it!
I will take my boneless skinless chicken breast and put spices on it , bake it. Great flavor added to the soup.
Sounds amazing!
I just made this this afternoon. Skeptical the whole way through, only because I’m not much of a cook! I used garlic and herb seasoned chicken breast, which I think ended up making a good flavor. I had to use 4 more cups of broth! I did use 3 chicken breasts though. I didn’t even want to try it!! LOL!!! OMG, I just did and it is DELICIOUS!! I looked up so many chicken noodle soup recipes and so glad I chose yours! My husband is going to love it!!! Julie
Lol I’m so glad you overcame your doubts and gave it a try and it was so good!! I bet that chicken made a huge difference and added lots of flavor 🙂 Happy to hear you liked it!
Why do you have to cook the noodles ahead of time? Either on the stove or crockpot could you not add them toward the end and let them steam in the broth and they will soften right up? Going to try this recipe today and wondered..?
If you cook the noodles in the broth, they could overcook if you put them in too early. Also, I find them more flavorful if I cook them separately in salted water than putting them directly in the broth. Hope this helps!
Easy to make, delicious and enjoyed by my family! Perfect for a cold wintry day. 5 stars!
100% agree 🙂 So glad you liked it and thank you for coming back and reviewing!
Did you make your own noodles?
I did not in this recipe although I have used homemade ones before and they are fantastic
It was a very tasty easy quick homemade chicken soup (I used already cooked rotisserie chicken); the only disappointing part (my son pointed out as well) was it needs more broth than the recipe calls for. I’ll make this again but the next time I’ll make some adjustments in the amount of broth.
So glad that it was good, and yes you can always add more broth to make it more how you like. 🙂
If I wanted to use rice in place of the pasta, do I use 8oz.also?
Unfortunately swapping rice for pasta isn’t a 1:1 switch. You’ll need more broth/water.
If you are looking for a chicken and rice soup – I have one for the slow cooker, and you can use the seasonings from Classic Chicken Noodle. I think it will be much more successful for you that way:
https://dev.dinnerthendessert.com/slow-cooker-chicken-and-rice-soup/
My husband a and I really enjoyed this soup.
I’m glad it was a hit, thanks for stopping by to let me know!
What kind of egg noodles do you use?
I used extra wide egg noodles. Enjoy!
Im a caregiver and I made this recipe for my elderly client (who is a tough picky eater) and she loved it!
Thank you thank you thank you!
You’re very welcome! I’m glad she enjoyed!!
Phyllis. Didnt have enough chicken broth. Can i putsome water in
It will dilute the flavor. If you’re ok with that then go ahead and use it.
Hello. I’m currently calorie counting, and I just made this recipe last night! I saw that it said it was 216 calories per serving but I was wondering what a serving was. Is it per one cup of soup or a bowl of soup (typically 2 cups). Thank you!
A serving is a generous cup. Hope this helps 🙂
When do I put the noodles in?
You’ll add the cooked pasta in at the end once you shred the chicken. Enjoy!
Great soup, easy to make!
So glad you enjoyed it, Donna.
So the chicken is put in raw correct?
Yes 🙂
Can you make this in a crockpot
You sure can! I included instructions to make in the slow cooker in the middle of the post.
Awesome flavor in the broth. Needs more chicken stock than listed depending on the noodles used and chicken breast size.
This was awesome! The only thing I did different was cook it with the chicken bones in the broth after taking the chicken off a rotisserie chicken. Yum! Will definitely use again!
Such a great idea, Lynn! So glad you enjoyed it.
The 8 oz noodles is that before cooked or after? I’m in the process of making this now.
8 ounce measurement of dry noodles and then you’ll cook them 1 minute less than the directions call for. Hope this clears up any confusion. Enjoy!
You know, while it is helpful to have nutritional information for this recipe, it is still useless because you do not list anywhere what a serving is. What are you basing your nutritional information on? Is it for a cup of soup or more than that? I do see that you say the entire recipe makes 8 servings, but if you do not list what a serving is, how can I determine whether I have 8 servings?
The recipe itself was delicious, but I am pre-diabetic, have high cholesterol, high blood pressure and am trying to lose weight, therefore I have no choice but to pay attention to portions and nutritional information. I would appreciate knowing what standard of measurement you are using.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe. One serving is equal to 1 cup.
Not clear on when i’m suppose to cook the noodles or if i’m suppose to cook them in the same pot or a separate one and add them in once the chicken is cooked and shredded
So sorry for the confusion, in the ingredients I listed “8 ounces egg noodles cooked 1 minute shy of directions”, so you will cook the noodles before adding the cooked noodles in instruction 2.
Wonderful, easy and delicious!
Thanks, Isabel!
Wonderful, easy and delicious!
This recipe was easy and delicious. I didn’t have thyme on hand so I had to skip it and I added an extra cup of broth for my large family. I will definitely be putting this in the regular rotation. Thank you!!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it! Thanks for the 5 star rating!
I love chicken noodle soup!! It’s my favorite go-to when I’m needing some comfort food or not feeling well. It is so tasty!
Yes, perfect soup for that!
There is nothing better than homemade chicken noodle soup on a cold night. I’ve never thought to use thyme in mine, I bet that is delicious!
I hope you enjoy it!
Made this soup last night for my family and they LOVED it! Thankyou for the awesome recipes! It was so cold out here and the soup was the perfect comfort food!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Debbie!
So easy to follow your directions – and it was amazingly delicious!
So glad you enjoyed it, Courtney!
OH! Everyone should have a good homemade chicken noodle soup! Your recipe sounds so amazing!
Thank you, Becky!
Need this for this week. We’re all sick!
Oh no! Hope you all have a quick recovery!
I doubled the recipe. Good thing too because I ate twice as much as I should have.
I used left over turkey and powdered thyme. Still turned out fantastic. Thanks for the recipe.
Glad you liked it! Love swapping in turkey when I have it too!
This stuff is like medicine ! After a recent bout of an intestinal virus I made a pot of it and ate it for 2 days.It was delicious.It brought me from feeling like I couldn’t get off the couch to where I felt like going outside and running in 2 days ! I added red pepper flakes.Definitely has a healing effect ! Grandma was right !
Yay!! So glad you’re feeling better, Greg.