Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Make Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe for comforting homemade broth, tender chicken, and wide egg noodles in about 55 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion (about 1 1/2 cups / 225 g), finely diced
- 2 medium carrots (about 1 1/2 cups / 180 g), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds
- 2 medium celery stalks (about 1 cup / 100 g), sliced into 1/4-inch (6 mm) pieces
- 3 cloves garlic (about 9 g), finely minced
- 8 cups (2 quarts / 1.9 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups (480 ml) water
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, excess fat trimmed and patted dry
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 6 ounces (170 g) dried wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about 1/2 medium lemon), optional
- Extra chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
- Freshly ground black pepper, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
Finely dice the yellow onion until the pieces are small and uniform, peel and slice the carrots into precise 1/4-inch (6 mm) rounds, trim and slice the celery into matching 1/4-inch pieces, and finely mince the garlic. Work methodically so the textures read consistently in the pot: tight, even dice for the onion, crisp circular carrot rounds, and celery crescents that will soften evenly. Keep the prepped vegetables in small bowls or ramekins so each element’s color and texture are clear and ready.
Step 2: Sweat the aromatics until soft and translucent
In a heavy Dutch oven or large pot, warm the olive oil and butter together until the butter just foams, then add the diced onion, carrot rounds, and celery pieces. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent but not browned; finish by stirring in the minced garlic for thirty to forty-five seconds so it releases aroma without browning. The result should be glossy, slightly softened vegetables with a faint sheen of butter on the surface, bright color but softened edges.
Step 3: Build the broth and submerge the chicken
Pour the low-sodium chicken broth and water into the pot, scraping up any fond, then nestle the trimmed boneless chicken thighs (or breasts), add the dried bay leaves and thyme, and bring just to a boil before lowering to a gentle simmer. Visually the pot should read as a clear golden broth with chicken pieces fully submerged, a couple of bay leaves floating, and softened vegetables suspended in the liquid. Season gently with salt and black pepper so the liquid reads mildly seasoned and shimmering with tiny fat droplets.
Step 4: Simmer until the chicken is very tender, then rest and remove
Keep the pot at a gentle simmer until the chicken is tender enough to shred easily, then use tongs or a slotted spoon to lift the pieces onto a clean cutting board or plate and let them rest for a few minutes. The visual milestone is cooked, plump chicken pieces resting with a few glossy juices pooling beneath them and a faint shine on the skinless surface—clearly cooked through, fibers intact, ready to be shredded.
Step 5: Cook the noodles and prepare finishing herbs
Bring the simmering soup briefly back up to a gentle boil and add the dried wide egg noodles, stirring to prevent sticking and cooking until just tender (al dente). While the noodles cook, finely chop the fresh flat-leaf parsley. The pot at this stage should look full of plump, hydrated noodle ribbons mingling with softened vegetables in a clear broth; the parsley sits ready as bright green flecks waiting to be stirred in.
Step 6: Shred, return, finish, and serve
Shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces, return the meat and any collected juices to the pot, remove the bay leaves, and stir in the chopped parsley and optional lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and simmer briefly so the flavors meld and the broth lightly coats noodles and chicken. Transfer generous portions into warm soup bowls and garnish with extra parsley and a few grinds of black pepper for contrast.
Notes
- Use low-sodium broth so you can control final seasoning.
- Store noodles separately if you plan to refrigerate leftovers to avoid sogginess.
- Pat chicken dry before browning to improve texture and color.
- Add lemon juice at the end to brighten the broth.
- Reheat gently and add a splash of broth or water if the soup has thickened.