This classic chicken noodle soup is simple to make in less than an hour with ingredients you already have in your pantry. It’s loaded with chicken & herbs.
This chicken noodle soup is a life saver when the whole family is down with a bad cold. There is something about a bowl of chicken noodle soup that just makes you feel better and truly warms your soul. I bet you anything your family will be coming back for seconds and thirds. My kiddo asked for another bowl, which was shocking but also made me very happy! This is my Mom’s recipe and I LOVE it plus the entire house smells heavenly.
It’s made with basic ingredients and everything comes together in less than an hour, making it a great weeknight dinner during the cold and dreary Winter season. In case you are wondering, I have tried making a very creamy chicken noodle soup before and honestly, I did not like it when I was sick. I think when you are sick, you just want simple food and that soup did not have the classic flavor I grew up on.
Here are some notes about this recipe:
- You can use oil but I like to use butter since it adds more flavor.
- You can adjust the quantity of herbs, based on your preference.
- I like to use low sodium broth because I find the regular one very salty.
- You can use fresh of dried herbs. Fresh is obviously better and has a stronger flavor and aroma.
- I highly recommend using egg noodles since that tastes the best in this soup but you can use regular pasta too. The cooking time may vary slightly.
- For a spicy kick, add 1/4 tsp red chili flakes too. I love spicy food! So, I always add this.
- I always use rotisserie chicken or leftover baked chicken from the night before to speed up the process.
- Don’t add any cornstarch or heavy cream in this soup because that will change the texture and flavor completely.
- You can serve this soup with cornbread, dinner rolls or plain crackers. I like to keep it simple!
If you are fond of soups, you may also like this hamburger soup or this slow cooker healthy Fall soup.
Chicken Noodle Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup sliced carrots
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 medium white onion diced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger , or 1 teaspoon dried ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper , plus more to taste
- 12 ounces egg noodles , dried or frozen
- 3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsely
- In a large 6 quart pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Sear in pot for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until seared and browned. Remove from pot and set aside on a plate.
- Without wiping out the pan, add in butter onion, carrots, and celery and saute until vegetables just start to become tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes more. Add chicken breasts back on top of vegetables.
- Pour in broth and season with thyme, oregano, salt, pepper and bring to a boil. Let simmer 10 minutes.
- Add in egg noodles and let simmer until noodles are cooked through according to the package directions. Frozen will take longer to cook than dried egg noodles.
- Remove chicken breasts from pot, shred, and return to the soup. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste.
- For a creamy twist, add in 2 cups of heavy cream during the last few minutes of cooking.Â
- Want to up the nutritional content with more protein? Add in 1 cup of frozen peas and let them heat through while you shred your chicken.Â
- Short on time? Instead of cooking the chicken breasts, you can replace with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of diced cooked or shredded chicken breast, like from a rotisserie chicken or using leftovers. Simply stir in during the last 5 minutes of cooking to heat through.Â