Chicken noodle soup is one of those classic, cozy recipes I love making for my family on cold, chilly days. I usually make this recipe in the slow cooker, but I provided directions for both stovetop and slow cooker versions. Both are delicious and provide tasty leftovers, too. In fact, this soup is so popular in my house that my youngest says it’s the best homemade chicken noodle soup ever and he will happily eat a bowl as an after-school snack.
Recipe Highlights
Classic and cozy: This soup provides tender chicken, plenty of vegetables, wide egg noodles, and a savory herb-infused broth. The classic combination is always a comforting fall dinner, but I honestly make it all year long.
Makes a lot: My recipe makes about 12 cups of soup, which means I’ll have plenty for a family dinner plus leftovers for lunches during the week.
Method flexibility: Most often, I make this soup in the slow cooker because it is so convenient. But I also provide stovetop directions, which result in chicken noodle soup that is just as flavorful and a great option when dinner needs to come together a little faster.
Simple ingredients: Chicken, veggies, seasonings, broth, noodles. That’s really all that’s needed to make a classic chicken noodle soup that satisfies from the inside out.
Ingredients And Substitutions
Here are the main ingredients to gather in order to get this favorite soup cooking right away:
- Carrots, celery, and yellow onion: This classic veggie combination of carrots, celery stalks, and onion (called mirepoix) gives chicken noodle soup its familiar flavor and texture. I thinly slice the carrots and dice the celery and onion so the vegetables cook evenly.
- Chicken broth: I use low-sodium chicken broth, chicken bone broth made from roasted chicken, or chicken stock so the salt level can be adjusted more easily. And additional broth can be added for a thinner, brothier soup.
- Chicken breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook directly in the broth before being shredded. I’ve also used a combination of chicken breasts and chicken thighs, when that’s what I have on hand. Cooked, shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken also can be used in place of the whole chicken breasts to shorten the cooking time.
- Dried herbs: I season my chicken noodle soup with a blend of dried thyme, rosemary, sage, and bay leaves. They give the broth that classic homemade chicken soup flavor. Other dried or fresh herbs, such as cilantro, oregano, fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, or fresh dill can be added, too. For a kick, stir in some red pepper flakes.
- Wide egg noodles: Wide noodles are my favorite for chicken noodle soup. They add a hearty, classic texture and are easy to scoop up with a spoon. Feel free to substitute other types of noodles, such as frozen egg noodles, filled pasta like tortellini, or a small pasta shape, like in this turkey soup.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Make It With The Classic Stovetop Method
I use the stovetop directions when I haven’t planned ahead and need this easy chicken noodle soup recipe done a little faster than it would cook in my crockpot. Here’s how to make it on the stovetop:
- Saute the veggies: I start by sautéing the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in oil in a large soup pot until the onions are translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add remaining ingredients: The chicken broth, chicken breasts, herbs, seasonings, and bay leaves go straight into the pot. Then I let everything simmer gently until the vegetables get tender and the chicken cooks through.
- Add noodles: After removing the chicken and bay leaves, I add the dry noodles directly to the soup.
- Shred the chicken: I shred the chicken with two forks. Then I return it to the pot while the noodles finish cooking in the broth. I keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil to help the chicken stay tender and prevent the vegetables from getting too soft.
Make It In The Slow Cooker
This slow cooker recipe is the method I use most often at home. It makes this recipe (and so many of my other slow cooker favorites) especially easy dinners. Here’s how to make this as a crockpot chicken noodle soup recipe:
- Add ingredients to the slow cooker: I add the raw chicken breasts, vegetables, garlic, herbs, seasonings, and bay leaves to a 6-quart or larger crockpot. Then I pour in the chicken broth and give it a gentle stir.
- Cover and slow cooker: I cover the crockpot and either cook the soup on the low heat setting for 5 hours or on the high heat setting for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken: Once the chicken is cooked through, I remove and discard the bay leaves. Then I shred the chicken, and return it to the slow cooker. The uncooked noodles go in at the end. And then I set it to cook on high for about 10 minutes more.
- Serve: I serve bowls of this slow cooker chicken noodle soup right out of the crockpot with a side of crackers or bread.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis. We list calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Adjust The Broth To Your Preference
The noodles absorb some of the broth as they cook, and they continue absorbing broth as the soup sits in the refrigerator. I prefer this recipe on the thicker side. But if a more brothy soup is desired, add an additional 1 to 2 cups of chicken broth.
Make It Gluten-Free
To make this homemade chicken noodle soup gluten-free, swap the regular wide egg noodles for gluten-free egg noodles. The remaining ingredients are naturally gluten-free, making this a fairly easy recipe to adapt for those with celiac or a gluten sensitivity.
Complete The Meal
Chicken noodle soup is hearty enough to stand on its own as a complete meal. It provides protein from the chicken, fiber from vegetables, and carbohydrates from the noodles. I usually dish up bowls and serve them with crackers or a piece of crusty bread for dipping. This hits the spot for me and my family, especially on a cold, rainy day when a cozy dinner is exactly what the doctor ordered.
This soup also makes a practical meal for busy weeks because the big batch provides plenty of leftovers. In my house, leftover soup rarely lasts long. We quickly eat it up for lunch and even as an after-school snack.
Storing And Reheating Leftovers
Store the cooled soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The noodles will continue to absorb the broth as the soup sits, so the consistency will become thicker over time.
To reheat, I warm individual bowlfuls in the microwave or gently reheat multiple portions in a saucepan on the stovetop. I add about ½ to 1 cup more chicken broth while reheating to help loosen the noodles and bring back a more brothy consistency.
Personally, I don’t recommend freezing this soup as the noodles will get too soggy after thawing and reheating. For a freezer version, I recommend freezing the chicken soup without adding the noodles. Then add the dry noodles to the pot during reheating. Cook them until al dente, adding more broth as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Avoid boiling the soup too aggressively, which can lead to overcooking the chicken and/or vegetables. I prefer a gentle simmer for tender chicken and vegetables. And I add the dry noodles directly to the soup so they cook in the flavorful broth.
No, the dry egg noodles go directly into the stockpot near the end of cooking. They simmer in the broth until al dente and absorb plenty of flavor along the way.
Chicken does add flavor to the cooking liquid, but chicken broth provides a flavorful, seasoned base from the beginning. It also gives the soup enough liquid to cook the vegetables, chicken, and noodles. Using broth also creates a more consistently flavorful soup.
More Cozy Soup Recipes To Try
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Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
This cozy homemade chicken noodle soup recipe combines tender shredded chicken, classic vegetables, wide egg noodles, and a savory blend of dried herbs. The recipe can be made on the stovetop or in the slow cooker, making it an easy option for a comfort food meal any time of the year.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds (~1½ cups)
- 2 medium stalks celery, diced (~1 cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (~1 cup)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups (64 oz) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4–6 ounces wide egg noodles (use gluten-free, if needed)
- Optional for serving: chopped fresh parsley, crackers, or crusty bread
Instructions
Stovetop Directions:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the carrots, celery, onion, and minced garlic; stir and cook until the onions are translucent and vegetables start to soften, 7 to 8 minutes.
- Add the broth, chicken breasts, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. Stir, then cover with a lid. Bring the soup almost to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low to low and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes.
- Once the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to remove the chicken to a cutting board. At the same time, remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Add the dry noodles into the soup.
- Shred the chicken and return the shredded chicken to the pot; cover with the lid.
- Simmer the soup until the noodles are al dente, another 8 to 11 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and serve. If desired, garnish servings with fresh chopped parsley and serve with crackers or crusty bread on the side.
Slow Cooker Directions:
- Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, and pepper, and bay leaves. Pour the 8 cups of broth around the ingredients and stir gently.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 5 hours or on HIGH for 3 hours.
- When the cooking time is up, remove and discard the bay leaves. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or rimmed sheet pan. Shred the chicken then return it to the slow cooker.
- Add the uncooked noodles and stir well. Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on high until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes more.
- Turn the slow cooker to the ‘keep warm’ setting and serve.
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Notes
This recipe makes a more thick and creamy chicken noodle soup. If a more brothy soup is desired, stir in an additional 1 to 2 cups broth.
May use precooked and shredded chicken instead of the raw chicken breasts. If using precooked chicken, reduce the simmering time to 20 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Add the cooked chicken and noodles to the pot in Step 4 and cook until the noodles are al dente.
Want to brighten the flavors? Stir in 1-2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar into the full pot of soup just before serving.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1½ cups
- Calories: 219
- Fat: 7 g
- (Sat Fat: 1 g)
- Sodium: 252 mg
- Carbohydrate: 16 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 4 g)
- Protein: 24 g
- Cholesterol: 83 mg
Dietary
The photos in this post were taken by Megan McKeehan.
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