Posted Jan 16, 2021, Updated Mar 14, 2024 Soup season is here! And on a busy weeknight when I want a cozy, healthy meal – or when we’re feeling under the weather – I make our favorite Chicken Noodle Soup (or this chicken rice soup or vegetable soup)! This easy chicken noodle soup is flavorful, hearty, healthy and it’s made in one pot in under an hour! You’ll say, “goodbye” to canned soups forever once you make this homemade chicken noodle soup!
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe: Ingredients & Substitutions
Olive Oil. Any neutral oil works well in this chicken noodle soup. Suggested substitutes are avocado oil, canola oil, and butter. Onion. Yellow, white, red, sweet, any onion variety works well in this recipe. Minced Garlic. Garlic powder can be used in place of minced garlic, add it with the broth. Chicken Broth. Homemade or store-bought chicken broth works well in this recipe. Better than Bouillon. This is the secret ingredient in my chicken soup recipes. You can use a different chicken base, but I have had the best results with this brand. Raw Chicken Breasts. If you have precooked, leftover chicken you can use that instead. Just make the soup according to the instructions and add the chicken once the noodles are cooked. Fresh thyme, bay leaves, and parsley. You can use dried spices, however I don’t recommend it. Fresh is best. Egg noodles. Any noodles work well in this chicken noodle soup recipe, egg noodles are our favorite – but rotini, macaroni, wheels, etc. are all great choices.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
This best chicken noodle soup recipe is easy to make in one pot in less than an hour. As always, we’ll walk through the process step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video! Begin by cooking the olive oil, onion, carrots, celery and garlic in a large stockpot over medium-high heat until onions are translucent. Once vegetables are cooked, add the chicken broth and better than bouillon to the stockpot and whisk to combine. Next, add the chicken breasts, parsley, thyme sprigs, bay leaves salt, pepper to the stockpot and stir to combine. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. After it reaches a boil reduce heat to simmer and simmer for 45 minutes, covered. Once the chicken is cooked and can easily be shredded with a fork, remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Then, remove the chicken from pot and transfer it to a large bowl or cutting board to shred. Return the shredded chicken to the stockpot. Once the shredded chicken is returned to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil and add the noodles. Boil for 10 minutes or until noodles are cooked.
Serve
Serve this homemade chicken noodle soup with your favorite crusty bread, like this no-knead bread, pretzel bread or the best homemade dinner rolls. Or make these easy homemade biscuits!
Store
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.
Freeze
Let the chicken noodle soup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to a freezer-friendly, airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat
Remove frozen chicken noodle soup from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight, or on the counter (faster). You can also let it thaw slightly then transfer the mostly-frozen soup to a pot and thaw it over low heat, stirring often. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
