Chicken Noodle Soup Classic (Printable)

Tender chicken and egg noodles in a light broth with carrots, celery, and herbs, perfect for cold days.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz) or 2 thighs for richer flavor

→ Vegetables

02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 small yellow onion, diced
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Broth & Noodles

06 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 2 cups wide egg noodles (about 4.2 oz)

→ Seasonings

08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onions, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Place chicken breasts whole into the pot. Pour in chicken broth, then add bay leaf, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
04 - Remove chicken from the pot and shred using two forks.
05 - Return shredded chicken to the pot. Add egg noodles and simmer for 7 to 8 minutes until noodles become tender.
06 - Stir in chopped fresh parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Remove bay leaf before serving.
07 - Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with additional parsley if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's ready in under an hour, which means you can actually make it on a weeknight without planning ahead like your life depends on it.
  • The broth stays light and clean-tasting instead of heavy, so you can eat a full bowl without that weighted feeling afterward.
  • Shredding the chicken by hand gives you tender, irregular pieces that soak up broth better than anything store-bought.
02 -
  • Don't skip removing the bay leaf before serving, and train yourself to always pluck it out because finding it in a spoonful is an unpleasant surprise.
  • Cook the chicken whole and shred it by hand instead of cutting it up beforehand because whole pieces stay juicier and the broth stays clearer.
  • Taste the broth before adding the noodles because the noodles will absorb salt as they cook, and you want to catch the seasoning before that happens.
03 -
  • Make the broth base a day ahead, refrigerate it, and add the noodles fresh when you're ready to eat so the noodles never get soft and bloated.
  • If you end up with too much soup, freeze the portions without noodles and add fresh pasta when you reheat because frozen noodles turn to mush.
Go back