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Once you make Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch, it's hard to go back to the canned version. Golden-seared chicken, tender egg noodles, and vegetables simmer in a rich, herby broth with white wine, Parmesan, and fresh lemon. Make it in the oven, in an Instant Pot, or in a slow cooker.
Make Cozy Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch!
Chicken noodle soup is the soup most of us grew up on: shredded chicken, wide egg noodles, onion, carrots, and celery in a golden, savory broth with fresh herbs. My homemade version stays true to the classic, just with more flavor and more protein. Instead of boiling the chicken, I season the breasts with paprika and Italian seasoning and sear them first, so they add golden, savory flavor to the whole pot. I soften the vegetables in butter and olive oil, thicken the base with a little flour, and simmer everything in one pot, with no canned soup and no bouillon cubes.
It's authentic enough to taste like the old-fashioned soup you remember but easy enough to make on a weeknight, just like my lemon chicken orzo soup and creamy chicken and wild rice soup. I tested it to need only 10 minutes of prep, and you get juicy chicken, noodles with a little bite, and a restaurant-quality broth in every spoonful. It's budget-friendly and comes together in one pot in under an hour.
My meal prep tip: cook the noodles separately if you plan to freeze the soup, so they stay tender instead of mushy.
Serve it with a warm slice of bread, like my homemade bread-machine bread, my garlic butter dinner rolls, or my savory bacon cheddar scones. And if you crave more chicken soups, be sure to try my Chicken Tortellini Soup and White Lasagna Soup with Chicken next.
Best Chicken for Chicken Noodle Soup
I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts because they sear quickly and shred into neat, spoon-sized pieces. They only simmer in the broth for 15 to 20 minutes, so they stay juicy.
- Chicken breasts. I pat them dry before seasoning so they turn golden instead of steaming. If your breasts are very thick, slice them in half horizontally so they cook evenly.
- Chicken thighs. Boneless, skinless thighs are a great swap and even more forgiving. Give them 20 to 25 minutes in the broth.
- Rotisserie chicken. Skip the searing and stir in about 4 cups of shredded chicken with the noodles. You'll lose the browned bits, but it's a great shortcut on busy nights.
Which Noodles Work Best?
Wide egg noodles are my favorite here. They're soft and a little chewy; they hold onto the broth, and they cook in 6 to 8 minutes right in the pot. Here are a few other options that work well:
- Frozen egg noodles. These taste homemade and stay thick and chewy. They take longer to cook, usually about 20 minutes, so follow the package instructions.
- Small pasta shapes. Ditalini, small shells, rotini, or orzo all fit nicely on a spoon.
- Broken spaghetti or linguine. Snap them into 2-inch pieces if that's what you have in your pantry.
- Gluten-free noodles. Gluten-free pasta or rice noodles both work. I cook them separately and add them to each bowl, since they get soft quickly in hot broth.
- Tip: Don't overcook the noodles. Egg noodles keep soaking up broth even after you turn off the heat, so turn off the stove as soon as they're just tender. If you plan to store leftovers, cook the noodles separately.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup (Step-by-Step)
This is a recipe overview. Scroll down for the complete instructions and ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
- Season the chicken: Pat the chicken dry, then season both sides with the paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Sear the chicken. Sear it in hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. It won't be cooked through yet, and that's exactly what you want. Remove them to a plate.
- Soften the vegetables. Cook the onion, carrots, and celery in butter and oil for 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and herbs for 30 seconds.
- Cook the flour. Stir the flour into the vegetables for 1 minute. Everything will look coated and a little pasty.
- Deglaze with wine. Scrape up the browned bits and let the wine reduce by about half, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Simmer. Add the broth, bay leaf, Parmesan rind, and seared chicken. Simmer gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Shred and add noodles. Shred the chicken with two forks, return it to the pot with the noodles, and simmer until the noodles are just tender.
- Finishing touches. Pull out the bay leaf and rind, then stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. And that's it!
- Serve: Ladle it into bowls and top with chives, thyme leaves, cracked black pepper, and a lemon slice.
Variations
- Leftover Turkey: Replace the chicken with 3 cups of shredded roasted turkey and add it with the noodles.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Extra Greens: Stir 2 cups of baby spinach or chopped kale into the soup right before the lemon juice.
How to Serve Chicken Noodle Soup
This soup practically begs for something to dip in the broth. I recommend serving it with warm garlic butter dinner rolls, crispy garlic bread, or my bacon cheddar scones. If you're feeling ambitious, make my classic Italian-American stromboli. For a fresh side, add my tomato cucumber avocado salad or a crunchy broccoli cashew salad with apples.
The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Egg Noodles
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes adjust to taste
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 large onion diced
- 3 medium carrots sliced
- 3 ribs celery sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour or use GF 1:1 flour
- ½ cup dry white wine or use chicken stock
- 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 large Parmesan rind
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup fresh parsley finely chopped
- fresh chives optional garnish
- thyme leaves optional garnish
- cracked black pepper optional garnish
- lemon slices optional garnish
Instructions
- Sear the chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides with paprika, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side, until golden. It should not be cooked through yet. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Make the soup base: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter to the same pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
- Stir in the garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, to cook out the raw flour taste.
- Pour in the white wine and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 1-2 minutes, until the wine reduces by about half.
- Simmer the soup: Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind. Return the seared chicken and any juices to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (165°F/74°C internal temperature).
- Add the noodles: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the egg noodles. Simmer uncovered for 6-8 minutes (or according to package directions), until the noodles are just tender.
- Season and serve: Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with chives, thyme leaves, cracked black pepper, and lemon slices, if desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Chicken: If your chicken breasts are very thick, slice them in half horizontally so they sear and simmer evenly. Boneless, skinless thighs work too; simmer them for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Rotisserie chicken shortcut: Skip the searing and add about 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken with the noodles, so it just warms through.
- Wine: Any dry white wine works, like Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio. For an alcohol-free version, replace it with ½ cup of extra chicken broth plus 1 teaspoon of white wine vinegar.
- Parmesan rind: Save the rinds from wedges of Parmesan in a freezer bag. Add them straight from frozen. Because the rind adds salt, taste the soup before seasoning at the end. No rind? Stir 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan into the finished soup.
- Cook the egg noodles separately if you plan to store or freeze the soup: Egg noodles keep absorbing broth and turn mushy over time. Cook them in a separate pot of salted water and add them to each bowl.
- Dried herbs: Use ¾ teaspoon dried thyme and ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary in place of the fresh.
- You will need these supplies: large soup pot or Dutch oven, cutting board, knife, measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoon, two forks, ladle.
Storage Tips
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Add a splash of broth when reheating, since the noodles absorb liquid.
- Make Ahead & Freezing: Cook the egg noodles separately if you plan to store or freeze the soup, so they don't get mushy. Freeze the soup (without noodles) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat on the stove, and add freshly cooked noodles.
Slow Cooker Instructions
- Sear in the skillet: Sear the seasoned chicken in a skillet and cook the vegetables, flour, and wine there as well.
- Then transfer everything to the slow cooker with the broth, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind.
- Slow cook: Cook on Low for 6 hours or High for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, add the noodles, and cook on High for 20-25 minutes, until tender. Finish with the lemon juice and parsley.
Instant Pot Instructions
- Use the Sauté function to sear the seasoned chicken, then cook the vegetables, flour, and wine exactly as written.
- Pressure Cook on High: Add the broth, bay leaf, and Parmesan rind, return the chicken, and pressure cook on High for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release. Remove and shred the chicken. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Switch back to Sauté and simmer the noodles for 6-8 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and parsley at the end.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.
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