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
Filed Under
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Usually, if I have a candle burning on the counter while chopping onions, my eyes don’t sting and water. Hope this works for you!
That’s a great idea, Cheryl! Thank you for sharing that with me.
I made this soup kinda like you did but I dropped a couple eggs in it and gave it a stir and I use spaghetti noodles. GOOD
That sounds delicious. Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
For me if I leave my onions in the fridge it helps with no tears. I have also read if you run it under water as you are cutting it.
Thank you for sharing that tip with me, Anita!
Thanks for the video! I love the fast motion. I’d do a couple of things differently: When sweating the root vegetables (onion, carrot), a couple of minutes before they are done, put the garlic in. Then, deglaze the pan with some reserved chicken broth or water. THEN pour all of the aromatics into the soup. You are losing some flavor by not putting the garlic on more heat and by transferring with a spoon.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me,Dana!
I made chicken noodle soup It was easy and delicious , thank you for the cooking videos . I also topped the soup off with crunchy French onions .
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Danika!
Referring to years when cutting onions: micro wave onion 20 seconds before cutting up.
Thank you for that suggestion Gil!
Try chewing gum while chopping onions! Always works for me!! And thank you for the recipe!! My picky 6 year old now asks for this!!!
That’s a great idea! Thank you for sharing that Mona!
Is there an alternate seasoning that can be used in place of garlic as I am allergic?
Hi Peggy, you could leave the garlic out and just add a little more fresh herbs to taste.
Keep your eyes from watering when cutting onions use a wooden match stick unused and have the sulfur tip out of your mouth and it will keep your eyes from watering
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi Natasha, I love your web site and your video’s your are a joy to watch, especially your laugh. The chicken soup is fantastic, and I found that it freezes great especially using the rozini pasta, and I prefer keeping my carrots sliced.
You’re so nice! Thank you!
Hi Natasha, love the recipe can it be done in a slow cooker/crockpot???
Hi Mallory, it is difficult to get pasta right in a slow cooker since lengthy cooking will cause that problem. You might add them later in the cooking process and then cook until the desired doneness.
Natasha,
What can I substitute the noodles with? I notice they absorb water very quickly and the noodles are huge when make ahead the next day.
Hi Nadia, potaotes would work instead of noodles.
Oh My God!!!!
I have never ever written any review any where but your soup just broke that record. It was amazing. Such simple ingredients and just heaven.
I added coconut milk instead of cream and thyme instead of dill as recommended by others who didn’t have these ingredients.
My daughter just loves it! Thank you and continue making such delights.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Asna!
Hi Natasha, I replaced the water with chicken stock and chicken broth. I noticed on my box of chicken stock (Kitchen Basics) that the box says not to dilute the stock. The box of chicken broth shows the same instructions (I use organic chicken broth from Costco). Perhaps that’s why some people found the soup was too watery? I would suggest using only stock and broth It was delicious – thank you for the recipe
Thank you so much for sharing that with us
How many cups of broth/stock did you use then? Just replaced ALL 10 cups of water with broth/stock? Thanks
Hello Natasha Love the recipes but when you guys say add a tin of chicken broth or beef broth it looks like a clear soup . Most of these types of soup have loads of veg and or pulses in . What could be used instead?
Hi Kevin, we used to make the broth out of the Better Than Bouillon (B.T.B) all the time (which is why it’s in the ingredients photo), but after finding out that yeast extract has hidden msg (an ingredient in B.T.B.), we went to making homemade broth which is way tastier and healthier. You can use B.T.B. or carton broth or homemade if you prefer not to use the tin. You are also more than welcome to add more vegetables into it.
Hi Natasha,
Can I use drumsticks instead of thighs, would I have to do anything differently?
Hi Suzy, yes that would work fine. If you’re using drumsticks, you can benefit from having it be a bone broth and cook the drumsticks longer – I would do about an hour to infuse the broth with even more flavor. It will be delicious
How many Lbs of chicken?
Hi Philip, it is about 1 lb (boneless) to 1 1/2 lbs (bone-in) chicken.
What do you do with the thinly sliced carrots you done at the start of the video, you did not use them.??
Hi Donna, I added them with the sauteed veggies at 1min46sec in the video or step 3 in the recipe. I hope you love the chicken noodle soup!
Onion , try running onions under cold water, it will take away the sting to your eyes.
Thank you for sharing that with us Tracy!
Hi Natasha! First of all, I love your soup, it’s one of the best I’ve tasted; but I need to verify something that is driving me crazy. I’ve followed this recipe before, it’s saved on my google favourites, and I remember, that a shredded carrot used to be on the ingredients. I remember following it and shredding a carrot, and cutting the other two carrots in rings. But now I see that this detail is missing! The page was updated on November 2018, so I guess it’s possible that you have modify the recipe a little? Or maybe I’m just confused or going crazy lol.
Could you please help me and let me know if a shredded carrot used to be there? 🙁
Thank you!!
Hi Samantha, Thank you for the great review! You are absolutely right, rather than cutting the carrots 2 separate ways, we added them all at once to simplify the soup without missing any flavor.
Great! Thank you so much! Just one last thing though, did you use two or three carrots in the previous recipe? I’d like it to keep it that way, because the shredded carrot looks kind of pretty.
Hi Samantha, I used the same amount of carrots – half were sliced and have were shredded and sautéed with the onion.