This Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is exactly what you need on a cool day to warm you from the inside out. Filled with juicy chicken and tender noodles, this easy chicken noodle only takes about 30 minutes to make.
P.S. Our secret to seasoning the soup at the end is worth discovering.
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Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest. You’ll love the easy prep with this classic chicken noodle soup. There’s no need to trim the chicken ahead of time since the fat comes off easily after it’s boiled.
Chicken Noodle Soup Video Tutorial
This simple Chicken Noodle Soup is nutritious, hearty, and makes the perfect dish for busy families. My sister Anna came up with this recipe and first introduced me to it when she sent me a pot of soup after our first child was born over 10 years ago. We’ve been making it ever since and even made a Creamy Chicken Soup version!
Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
This Chicken Noodle Soup calls for traditional ingredients and a slight twist on the seasonings.
- Chicken: The secret to super tender chicken without crazy long cooking times is using chicken thighs! You can use boneless or bone-in chicken. Thighs also provide extra flavor and don’t dry out like chicken breast does.
- Broth: Our Homemade Chicken Broth is a delicious addition to this soup and provides a rich flavor. However, if you are in a pinch a low-sodium store-bought broth can work.
- Vegetables: Onions and celery sauteed together provide the traditional base for chicken noodle soup flavor. Diced carrots are another traditional vegetable. You can also add any other fresh or frozen veggies you would like.
- Seasonings: Dill and freshly-pressed garlic brighten the flavor palette and I love adding Mrs. Dash (no-salt seasoning).
Pro Tip: When sauteing ingredients for soups, use oil in the pan instead of butter. Butter will solidify when you refrigerate the soup.
The Best Noodles for Soup
I love using nice spiral noodles or egg noodles in my chicken noodle soup. These noodles plump up nicely and make the soup feel really hearty compared to other noodle varieties. Make sure you don’t overcook your noodles, especially if storing the soup or they will get mushy.
For Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup
This soup is so simple and easy to modify for different food intolerances. To make it gluten-free, just sub your favorite gluten-free noodles.
The Benefits of Homemade Broth
Homemade Chicken Broth adds rich flavor to any soup or recipe that calls for chicken stock or broth. According to Medical News Today (2023), bone broth is highly nutritious and may help reduce inflammation and improve gut health.
When you cook the homemade broth in an instant pot – you can have it ready in about 2 hours. It also makes all the difference in how good your soup tastes.
How to Make Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
This easy chicken soup takes about 30 minutes to make. The SECRET to amping up the flavor happens in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Adding dill and a pressed clove of garlic is what my Mother does for nearly all of her soups and I have adopted this in my own kitchen. It is a brilliant and easy way to make your chicken soup taste fantastic!
- Cook the Chicken: In a large soup pot, combine water, Chicken Broth, and salt. Bring to a boil then add chicken thighs and cook uncovered 20 minutes.
- Saute Veggies: In a large skillet saute onion and celery in oil until golden then add to the soup pot
- Add Noodles and Veggies: Add 1/2 lb pasta and sliced carrots to the pot and cook 15 min at a low boil.
- Shred Chicken: As the pasta cooks, remove thighs from the pot and shred with forks (discarding bones and fat), then add the chicken back to the pot.
- Season: In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add Mrs. Dash, dill, and press in 1 garlic clove, and add salt to taste. Simmer another minute then turn off the heat.
Storing Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup
We love making a big pot of chicken soup and enjoying it throughout the week. Keep in mind, if the soup is stored too long, the noodles will turn mushy. If storing longer than 1-2 days, it’s best to store the soup and the noodles separately and recombine right before serving.
- Refrigerated: Cool the soup completely and store covered in the refrigerator. Once noodles are in, the soup should be enjoyed within 2 days. The soup will keep up to a week if you store the noodles separately and combine when reheated.
- To Freeze: If you plan to freeze the soup, wait to add the noodles when you reheat the soup. Chicken soup can be frozen up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Recombine noodles and soup in a pot or microwave-safe bowl and heat to the desired temperature on the stovetop or in the microwave. If using uncooked noodles, reheat on the stove until the mixture boils and noodles are tender.
More Delicious Soup Recipes:
We love soups, for the ease in preparation and their fun variety. Be sure to give some of our other popular soups a try. P.S. If you love chicken soup, our Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is a must-try!
- Zuppa Toscana: popular Olive Garden copycat!
- Beef Stew: delicious slow-roasted flavor
- Potato Soup: cheesy, creamy base with bacon
- Broccoli Cheese Soup: quick and easy comfort food
- Chicken and Rice Soup: packed with flavor
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, skins removed (bone-in or boneless)
- 8 cups chicken broth, we used low sodium
- 6 cups water
- 2 Tbsp olive oil, to saute vegetables
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 medium celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced into rings
- 6 oz rotini pasta
- 3 Tbsp fresh or frozen dill
- 1 tsp Mrs. Dash, or your favorite salt-free seasoning
- 1 Tbsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1 garlic clove, pressed
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine 6 cups water with 8 cups chicken broth and 1 Tbsp sea salt. Bring to a boil then add chicken thighs and boil partially covered 20 min while you prep the vegetables, skimming off any foam that rises to the top.
- In a large skillet over medium/high heat, add 2 Tbsp olive oil and sauté onion and celery until softened then transfer to the pot.
- Add pasta and sliced carrots to the soup pot and continue cooking for 15 min at a low boil or until pasta is at the desired softness.
- While pasta is cooking, remove chicken thighs from the pot and use either forks or your hands to shred the chicken, discarding any bones and fat which should come off easily. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Season soup with 1 tsp Mrs. Dash (or your favorite seasoning) and more salt to taste if needed. Press in 1 garlic clove. Finally, add 3 Tbsp dill and remove from heat. Enjoy!
Nutrition Per Serving
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Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Absolutely Delicious and Hearty! I have made this soup twice now and it’s just fabulous. I swapped thighs for breast because my husband hates thighs BUT, she’s right. The thighs bring so much more flavor and the breast dries out. I also used try-color rotini because it’s what I have and it’s fun. Everything else is exactly. And, this is sooo easy to make! It freezes so well too. I put them in individual 16oz containers and pull out when I feel like a nice homey soupd for lunch. Thank you for all your amazing recipes!
You are so very welcome! Thank you for sharing.
I like this young ladies recipes. Very Good Job 👏👍
Glad to hear that, Jeri! Thank you.
Thank you for your many delicious recipes. Could I use chicken breasts for soup.
Hi Brenda, Thighs provide extra flavor and don’t dry out like chicken breast does but of course that will still work.
Regarding onions making you cry, I find chewing a piece of gum while chopping / dicing helpful. Thank you for all of your wonderful recipes. I use many. You are one of my go to pages when I am looking for something new. And I really enjoy your quirky style. Thanks again, Bill Boswell
Thank you, Bill! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipes.
This is the best chicken noodle soup! I love every recipe I’ve tried on this site! Thank you for sharing so many amazing recipes!
Thank you for your excellent review, Bethany!
Can you freeze this recipe. Thinking of gifting to friends for winter holidays
Hi Michele! If you plan to freeze the soup, wait to add the noodles when you reheat the soup. Chicken soup can be frozen for up to 3 months but the noodles do not freeze well. I assume you could provide the noodles dry with instructions to add them when reheating the soup.
I cooked this soup las week, and here we go again… my kids asked for it today 🙂
I made this last night. I wasn’t feeling well, and it was absolutely amazing. Thank you for this recipe. And all of your fantastic other recipes!!
Cathy
You’re welcome, Cathy. I hope it made you feel better!
I have made this soup 10 + times, this is by far the best chicken noodle soup recipe ever! And it’s so easy! Thank you so much!
That’s wonderful news, Kimmy!
Hands down the most juiciest and delicious chicken noodle soup I’ve ever made or had!, followed the recipe exactly other than a tad too much rotini, out of a 16oz box I did my best, but it kept looking like it wasn’t enough, but oh yeah pasta grows, lol!, but nonetheless it was a comforting and amazing dish on this rainy winter’s night here in California. Thank you Natasha, you are my go to for easiest to understand and most delicious recipes! 🙏🏻
Hey Rhonda, that’s lovely to hear! Thanks so much for sharing your experience trying my chicken noodle soup recipe. So glad that you love it!
Why is the amount of broth different in the video than in the recipe? More than a little confusing.
Hi Craig! Sometimes we update the recipe but can no longer update the video since it’s been filmed. The written recipe is the most updated version.
I just made this for the second time because my husband said it was the best chicken noodle soup he has ever had. Cooking the chicken thighs in the broth makes the flavor so rich!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Terry!
Can this be made with chicken breast instead of thighs? If so would cooking time differ?
Thighs provide extra flavor and don’t dry out like chicken breast does but of course that will still work.
This is the second time I have made this. My four year old granddaughter loves it. I love that it starts with making your own broth. I waited until the end and added dill, garlic, and lemon juice. GD is coming tonight and am looking forward to giving her a bowl.
So glad it’s being enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!
What my mom does is that once she takes the skin off the onion she washes the onion and the knife and cuts it by a kitchen fan. Hope that helps (:
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Lida!