Chicken Noodle Soup
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Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup always makes you feel better, no matter what ails you.
Is there anything more heartwarming than a bowl of chicken noodle soup? That golden broth, brimming with noodles and tender veggies, is the kind of comfort we all crave. This recipe, adapted from One-Hour Comfort: Quick, Cozy, Modern Dishes for All Your Cravings by America’s Test Kitchen, delivers that warmth straight to your table without any fuss. The secret to its quick preparation? A good-quality store-bought chicken broth that offers a rich flavor without hours of simmering. It’s just perfect for those nights when comfort can’t wait.
A quick tip: If you’re making the soup ahead of time, hold off on adding the noodles and chicken until before serving. This ensures they stay perfectly cooked and not overdone. And if you’re serving in batches, consider boiling the noodles separately and adding them to each bowl as needed. Round out this comforting meal with some saltine crackers, a slice of artisan bread, or buttermilk biscuits.
“My husband, who thinks soup doesn’t count as dinner, gave this a 10/10…It’s a keeper, thank you!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken Pieces: Skin-on, bone-in pieces are used for their ability to enrich the broth with depth and richness. The shredded meat provides protein and substance, making the soup hearty and filling.
- Chicken Broth: The liquid base of the soup. Using broth instead of water enables us to create a more complex and savory flavor in a short amount of time.
- Onion, Carrots, and Celery: This trio is fundamental in building the soup’s aromatic foundation. They also contribute color and substance to the soup.
- Fresh Thyme and Bay Leaf: Infuse the soup with fragrant, earthy notes.
- Egg Noodles: A classic and comforting element in chicken noodle soup.
- Dill: A classic pairing with chicken noodle soup, fresh dill introduces a fresh flavor and a pop of color, perfectly complementing the savory chicken and broth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by prepping the veggies.
Next, season the chicken with the salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down, and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
Flip the chicken and cook 4 minutes more.
Add the broth, onion, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low.
Simmer until the chicken is cooked through (15 to 17 minutes for breasts and about 20 minutes for thighs). Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf.
Using tongs, remove the chicken from the soup and transfer to a cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces; discard the skin and bones.
Return the soup to a boil over medium-high heat and add the noodles. Cook, uncovered, until the noodles are al dente (check the package instructions for timing, and keep in mind that the noodles will continue to cook for a few minutes while you warm the chicken).
Add the shredded chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is warmed through, a few minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt, but it depends on the saltiness of the chicken broth you used). Stir in the dill and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions
My go-to’s are Swanson for broth and Better Than Bouillon, a concentrated flavor paste.
I’d advise against it. Using raw chicken ensures the best flavor and prevents the meat from becoming overcooked.
The soup can be made through step 3 (up until adding the noodles), and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken in a separate container in the fridge, and add to the soup before serving. When ready to serve, bring the soup to a boil on the stovetop. Add the noodles and proceed with the recipe. If you don’t plan to serve the soup all at once, you can boil the noodles separately and keep them separate from the broth, then simply add them as needed when serving. You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
If you’re not serving the soup immediately or plan on having leftovers, hold off on adding the noodles. This ensures they stay perfectly cooked and not overdone when you reheat the soup later. As mentioned above, consider boiling the noodles separately and adding them to each serving as needed.
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Chicken Noodle Soup
Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup always makes you feel better, no matter what ails you.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken breasts and/or thighs, trimmed of excess skin or fat
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 cups chicken broth (preferably not low-sodium), best quality
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 2 celery ribs, cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 ounces (3 cups) wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down, and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook 4 minutes more.
- Add the broth, onion, carrots, celery, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through (15 to 17 minutes for breasts and about 20 minutes for thighs).
- Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Using tongs, remove the chicken from the soup and transfer to a cutting board. Using 2 forks, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces; discard the skin and bones.
- Return the soup to a boil over medium-high heat and add the noodles. Cook, uncovered, until the noodles are al dente (check the package instructions for timing, and keep in mind that the noodles will continue to cook for a few minutes while you warm the chicken). Add the shredded chicken and cook over medium heat until chicken is warmed through, a few minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste (I usually add about ¼ teaspoon more salt, but it depends on the saltiness of the chicken broth you used). Stir in the dill and serve.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The soup can be made through step 3 (up until adding the noodles), and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Keep the chicken in a separate container in the fridge, and add to the soup before serving. When ready to serve, bring the soup to a boil on the stovetop. Add the noodles and proceed with the recipe. If you don’t plan to serve the soup all at once, you can boil the noodles separately and keep them separate from the broth, then simply add them as needed when serving. You can also freeze the soup for up to 3 months.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 508
- Fat: 21 g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 44 g
- Sodium: 874 mg
- Cholesterol: 126 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Thank you, Jenn, for helping me substitute dried thyme and dill amounts in place of the fresh herbs. The soup was full of flavor, and my husband kept saying, “Mmm! Keeper! Keeper! Keeper!” I can’t wait to make it again with the fresh thyme and dill. I served it over Banza GF noodles, broken into smaller lengths, and cooked,served separately from the soup. The leftovers are marvelous and even better the next day. Thank you for a comforting weekday soup worth looking forward to again and again!
Making this soup first time for dinner tonight. But…My local market is OUT of fresh thyme and fresh dill. How much dried thyme and dried dill should I use instead?
Hi Chrissy, I’d suggest 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 teaspoon dried dill. Enjoy!
This was good. What I never see with chicken noodle soup though is anyone adding lemon to homemade chicken broth. I can’t imagine not using it. Curious if anyone else does this.
Hands down the best CNS. Even my picky boys enjoyed it! So much flavor!! Love your perfected recipes Jen!
Absolutely delicious Jenn! Another winner!! I’ve made this twice within the last week! lol!
Thank you for sharing this recipe :o)
Didn’t see anything about skimming the soup. Do you leave the chicken scuze in the broth?
There’s really no need to skim when using store-bought broth. Hope that clarifies!
I trim a lot of the fat off before browning the chicken and this reduces the floating fat when it’s done.
Hi! Just be sure NOT to use a Le Creuset Dutch oven on any direct heat source. The manufacturer specifically cautions against it.
I use my Le Crueset Dutch ovens for everything on the stovetop!
I don’t see this recommendation anywhere on their website.
I think you may be referring to the Le Creuset Bakeware/ceramic stoneware which cannot be used on the stove top or other direct heat source. The enameled cast iron is safe to use with any heat source except the microwave 😉
This soup takes SO much less time that the traditional chicken broth that needs to cook all day long, and is SO good!! I eat GF, so I added rice noodles at the end, and it was so delicious!
Not only comforting on a rainy, damp day in NY, but this soup is so flavorful and filling. My family absolutely loves it. Thanks as always for the great recipes.
It was excellent!
My husband told me with every bite he fell more in love with me!
Thank you so much for this recipe!
Takes a little longer, but I like using a rotisserie chicken for the meat and making chicken broth with carcass.
Hi Chef Jenn,
Can OSEM chicken seasoning be added to this soup to make it more flavorful ? If so, how much?
I love the flavor it adds to your Matzo Ball Soup recipe.
thank you.
Sure, that’s fine – I’d start with a teaspoon and add more if needed. 🙂
Looking forward to making this! If I were to freeze the discarded bones would there be any goodness left in them to make it worth throwing them in with my veggie scraps when making broth at home? My daughter loves chicken bone broth but I’ve only used previously roasted (not previously boiled) bones. Thank you!
Hi Shannon, Yes, you can still get a nice broth from bones that have been boiled and frozen. Hope you enjoy the soup!
Thank you for your prompt reply! I (mostly) made this today while my daughter was at school, super simple to prepare. So after soccer all I had to do was reheat the soup base while the noodles boiled and toss it all together with the chicken and dill and dinner was steaming hot on the table in 10 minutes. So very delicious too! Bones are in the freezer next to our veggie scrap collection ready for making bone broth. Thank you for a wonderful recipe that is perfect for chilly fall/winter nights!
Could I use Orzo in place of the noodles and how many cups would work with this recipe?
Sure, orzo would work here. I’d use 5 ounces. Enjoy!
Cooked this chicken noodle soup this morning for friends and had a bowl myself for lunch. Delicious and very easy. The fresh dill adds just the right freshness. Thank you.
Can you reccommend some chicken broth? I know one of your recipes did and I forgot/ can’t find it.
Hi Laurie, I like Swanson. 🙂
Jen made this soup yesterday for dinner. Usually when I make a Chicken Soup the broth cooks for hours. I was in the mood for it and as always, before I make something, I looked at your website to see if you had a recipe.
This was SO DELICIOUS! Tasted so good!! I also made the Arugula Salad you suggested with it. Also YUM! Thank you again for another winner!! HUGS
Delicious! Highly recommend this classic style chicken noodle recipe. I used thighs with skin-on and bones and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
This recipe is delicious and so simple. I didn’t even bother putting noodles in, so mines a chicken soup.
OMG this is beyond perfect. I’ve always been a matzo ball soup fan, but this is so much easier and even more delicious. It’s been on our weekly rotation for about two months now! Thank you!
This was SO good. I had to make several substitutions and it came out wonderfully. I bought boneless, skinless chicken thighs in error, but still browned them and then sautéed the veggies briefly in the fond with a little chicken stock because I hadn’t prepared all the vegetables before I started browning the chicken. I used dried thyme and subbed the dill for fresh parsley at the end because I prefer it, and it was excellent. Then I used rotini because it’s what I had. It’s a very forgiving recipe and will be my go-to now.
This is my favorite chicken noodle soup I’ve ever made. Rich and satisfying, and I love the little hint of dill. I used my favorite organic chicken stock – Kirkland’s brand from Costco – and added a small amount of Better Than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base. A member of the household is currently going through an exclusion diet, so no gluten. I couldn’t locate gluten-free egg noodles, so decided to use Delallo gluten-free orzo. The pasta held up really well. Browning the bone/skin-on chicken breasts and shredding them did take a little extra time and effort, but the flavor impact was well worth it.
This is a pretty delicious soup! We have a family member going through a rather strict exclusion diet right now, and I had to use Delallo gluten-free orzo in lieu of the egg noodles (which I love). It was fabulous! I see some commenters wanted to use skinless/boneless chicken. Big mistake. I follow several prominent chefs, and they all advocate for cooking meat on the bone (whenever possible) for the richest flavor. A little extra work makes for a lot of extra flavor. The fresh dill was a delightful and aromatic addition to the final dish.
This is now my family’s favorite chicken noodle soup. My husband, who thinks soup doesn’t count as dinner, gave this a 10/10! The only changes I made was using dried thyme and dill as my store didn’t have fresh. It’s a keeper, thank you!
I made this chicken noodle soup yesterday. I followed the recipe exactly as per instructions with no additions or substitutions and it is fantastic. This recipe is a keeper!
My husband and I ended up sick after Thanksgiving, unfortunately, and needed something warm and healing. This soup was amazing and exactly what the doctor ordered!!! I placed an online grocery order to get all the ingredients and made the soup. It’s easy, made the house smell amazing, and tastes so delicious and nourishing. We had it with a loaf of homemade bread some kind friends dropped off for us. Hoping we’ll soon be on the other side of this! Thank you for a wonderful recipe.
Glad this hit the spot and hope you’re feeling better soon!
I have been craving a classic homemade chicken noodle soup and this was perfect for a chilly night in December- cozy, nourishing comfort food. I enjoyed the fresh dill.
Made this today for dinner and am really disappointed. I’m a huge fan of Jenn’s but this was extremely bland. The only change I made was to add a pinch of dried dill but did use fresh thyme.
My grand daughter Rylee and I make this soup whenever she comes to visit. She ate 10 bowls of it last time. She is a tiny 7 year old. We added some smoked paprika and our favorite new spice Gochugaru from the Asian market- it is best from there. Rylee likes green spices better than red so hers had basil, herbes de provence, oregano, and thyme. She also adds 2 extra carrots. We like it with good rolls and a plain salad. Thank you Jen for another keeper.
Hi Jenn,
How big of a Dutch oven is needed for this recipe? Would a 7quart pot be big enough? Thank you!
Hi Sabine, a 7-quart Dutch oven will give you plenty of room. Hope you enjoy the soup!
This was so good and your instructions so easy to follow. I recently broke my arm so can’t really cook. I gave my husband this recipe and he had no trouble with it at all.
Super simple and easy to make if you need a quick, hearty meal! However, if you like added flavor from seasoning or just more potent flavor this recipe doesn’t really give that. The flavor is pretty bland as most of it comes from the veggies and chicken. The thyme is potent and good, but I used to soups with more spice so this was a little on the bland side for me.
Question: The vegetable oil is in the ingredients but not in the instructions. Is it for the veggies or cooking the chicken or???
Hi Clare, You use the oil to cook the chicken. See the second sentence of the first paragraph. Hope that clarifies and that you enjoy the soup! 🙂
I made this for the second time tonight for a family gathering. It’s an easy recipe with outstanding flavor. Thanks so much for posting it for us!
Hi, I really enjoyed this! I used thighs as that’s what the grocery store had in a reasonable quantity. I have eaten this all week long, making it on Sunday night and just finishing it for lunch today (Thursday). Keeping the noodles separate from the soup made it totally doable. (I tossed the noodles with just a tiny bit of olive oil so they wouldn’t stick together in the fridge.) When I ate it on Sunday night, I was a little underwhelmed but as the days went on and the flavors melded, it just got better and better! So…if you can, I’d suggest making it a night or two before serving and then adding the cooked noodles when you’re ready to serve. I will definitely make again!
When I came into the kitchen this morning, the wonderful smell still lingered! Midway through prep, I realized that I didn’t have a pot big enough, so I used 2 thighs and half the mirepoix, etc., and froze the other 2 and other half, so now I have an instant soup ready to make. I stuck to the recipe (halved) and left out garlic and ginger, which I often add to chicken soup. It was perfect as it was.
I’ve made this soup over and over–it’s a standard in my house. Here are my changes: I sprinkle the thighs with Montreal Grill Mates chicken seasoning before browning, and use 1 tsp. herbes de provence instead of thyme. I can’t help but think the Montreal spice adds to the flavor.
Best chicken soup ever. I have tried many different recipes for this classic meal, and this one wins. From now on this will be the only way how I make it. Thank you!
Loved this recipe! The dill was such an unexpected and delicious touch. Thanks for sharing recipes that are easy for busy moms to execute, but taste like so much more than the sum of their parts.
Hi Jenn: I will be making this tonight, but bought skinless thighs instead, by mistake. Do they have to have the skin to add flavor to the soup? I am adding a few extra pieces since we are having a few people over. Hopefully adding the few extras pieces will be enough. Thank you so much for sharing your never-fail recipes. They are all so delicious!
Hi Frances, The skin and bones do add wonderful flavor (and fat) to the soup, but it should still work. How did it turn out?
Absolutely delicious! Using store bought broth was a great shortcut. The vegetables and chicken really made a flavorful soup. I’ll definitely make it again! I love so many of your recipes.
Anyone have success making this with gluten free noodles, and if so- what kind? I usually make chicken and rice soup as gf noodles can be tricky, in general, but especially in soup.
I don’t even try cooking or storing GF noodles in water-based foods. My favorite noodles (Thrive brown rice organic) need to be rinsed once cooked. Furthermore, I’ve never had a GF noodle that will hold up in soup. So I cook my noodles in a separate pot and add them to personal soup bowls as needed. Leftover soup is stored separately from the noodles and reheated the same way. It’s less convenient but preferable to having mushy/disintegrated noodles.
By the by, I have found that my rice noodles will hold up to being stored in some dishes with more of an oil/heavy cream-based sauce. So I will mix them into a prepared creamy pesto tomato dish, baked macaroni… I try to see this as a positive rather than dwell on the limitations of GF noodles.
Maybe Barilla noodles would hold up better to liquids? I have wondered about them. Personally I hardly use them because I try to avoid conventionally grown corn.
I was thinking why not just use rice or quinoa?
Delicious and simple! I really missed the rice wine vinegar I normally use for seasoning, and added a splash at the end. We also prefer barley, hominy, or spoon-sized pasta like starts or wagon wheels. Thanks for another great recipe for fall and winter.
I made it this morning – it’s everything you want chicken noodle soup to be.
Delicious!
I made this for dinner tonight. It was GLORIOUS! Thank you for such a great recipe.
Could a person use the whole cooked chickens, then shred it from Costco or other stores instead?
Thank you
Hi Cheryl, Unfortunately, I think you really need to cook the chicken in the soup to flavor the broth, otherwise it won’t have that homemade chicken soup taste. Sorry!
We do! I pull the meat and then simmer the bones for several hours, usually on my woodstove. However, the flavor profile of this recipe is an improvement and takes less time.
This looks delicious, and is almost identical to the soup we’ve always made. This week we saw that ATK now recommends “Better Than Bouillon” (which I have used for a few years) over the boxed broths for flavor, cost, convenience, much longer time that it stays good after opening, and lower sodium. Also, since we prefer “homemade” noodles, we now use the Reames frozen egg noodles for their similar-to-homemade texture and flavor. They take a bit longer to cook than dried noodles.
Since finding your cookbooks and website I use them so frequently/constantly that I can’t even remember what recipes we used to like. Thank you!
Hi Judy, I agree, Better Than Bouillon is a great product. So glad you enjoy the recipes!
Hello. I am a total and complete fan and have made countless of your recipes because they emerge just as the recipe says. I am having trouble with this one – I appreciate that the intent is to get this on the table quickly. I use my chicken to create the tasty broth – adding 8 cups of chicken broth just seems over the top, especially with the rising prices of food.
Thanks for all your recipes! Joanne
Hi Joanne, You could definitely use bouillon here to cut down on cost.
Perfection!!!!!
Hi Jenn! Looks great! Is there a reason you just throw the veggies in to simmer instead of browning them first as with other soups? Thanks!
Hi Alana, It avoids having to remove the chicken from the pan while the veggies cook, so one less step, and they cook long enough in the broth that it’s really not necessary to cook them in oil or chicken fat first.
I can attest to how easy and delicious this soup is! I’ve been making it since I watched an America’s Test Kitchen episode on PBS a year or so ago and wrote down the recipe. Just made it again a week ago, using a 2 1/2 lb package of chicken legs with back attached (good bones) and usually use about 4 to 5 oz of spaghetti that I break up into about 2 to 3 in pieces. It’s a winner! Thanks Jenn for including this in your recipes!