Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of warm homemade chicken noodle soup. This Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe uses fresh ingredients like split chicken breasts, carrots, and celery. This soup method is way easier than spending half a day making homemade broth but not hard enough from keeping you from making it on a weeknight. With extra vegetables and flavorful broth from the chicken bones this is a version of the beloved classic that you are going to want to bookmark!

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Stovetop Chicken Noodle Soup

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup, not only an American comfort food but different versions of chicken soup are enjoyed all over the world. It is hard to resist the comfort that this soup brings!

My version of this soup is a perfect middle ground between boiling a whole chicken all day to make your own broth and using a rotisserie chicken to make a cheater version…

This soup starts with split chicken breast, the one with the bones still attached. This chicken is then cooked with the usual vegetables until everything is tender and then the noodles gets added.

By taking the middle ground we take advantage of the skin and bones with the split chicken breasts to add extra flavor that using precooked chicken won’t provide. The best part is you get a super flavorful soup but at the fraction of the time of making your own chicken stock from scratch!

So easy enough to make whenever and super delicious and comforting, let’s get cooking!

And if you are looking for more cozy soups give Crock Pot Chicken Pastina Soup or Vegetarian Gnocchi Soup a try.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup

• Unsalted Butter – I like to use unsalted butter in all my recipes because that way you are in full control of the sodium and saltiness of your dish. At the end taste the soup and then start adding salt in. If you don’t have unsalted butter it is totally okay to use salted butter or olive oil in this situation just keep that in mind when adding salt in at the end.
• Split Chicken Breasts – Split breasts are the chicken breasts that come with the rib bones attached and skin still on. We are using the skin and bones to add extra flavor to our soup and to keep the chicken from overcooking. And while it does a great job doing all that it will take a little longer to cook than a boneless, skinless chicken breast. (And don’t worry we will be taking the bones and skin out later)
• Kosher Salt – You will use it to salt the chicken before it cooks and then you will want more for salting the soup at the end of cooking.
• Yellow Onion – A classic part of the chicken soup, you will dice it for this recipe.
• Celery Stalks – You will notice in my recipe I use a tad more celery and carrots than other recipes, I believe that they shouldn’t be hidden in this soup, they are good for you after all.
• Carrots – Just like the celery we aren’t going to shy away from these healthy vegetables in this recipe!
• Chicken Broth/Stock – Traditional chicken noodle soup in made with a broth but what is even the difference between broth and stock? Chicken Broth is a lighter colored broth made from chicken, whereas Chicken Stock is usually darker in color because it is simmered down with chicken, chicken parts, vegetables, and aromatics. Honestly either work just great in this soup!
• Minced Garlic – Just a little to add flavor
• Bay Leaves – A classic aromatic of chicken noodle soup, just remember to remove them at the end
• Dried Parsley – It will seem like you are adding a lot in the recipe, it is not a typo, it seems like a lot at first but you will see by the end it is just the right amount.
• Dried Dill – I find a bit of this is just what the soup needs to elevate it to that next level.
• Egg Noodles – I am partial to using egg noodles in my chicken noodle soup, the wide chewy noodles are amongst one of my favorites BUT you really can use any noodle you have. Fettuccine and rotini noodles are also good options.

For a complete detailed list of the ingredients continue towards the bottom of the page.

Instructions

Grab a large dutch oven or pot that has a lid and heat it over medium-high heat. Add in the butter and let it melt.

Sprinkle the salt over the skin of the chicken breasts. Add the split breasts skin side down in the hot butter. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until the chicken skin has browned. Once they chicken is browned enough to easily come off the bottom of the pot it is time to move onto the next step.

Now add in the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in around the chicken. Sweat out the vegetables around the chicken 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions have just started to become soft.

Slowly pour in the chicken broth scraping the chicken and brown bits off the bottom as you add it so that the chicken isn’t stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add in the bay leaves, dried parsley, and dried dill.

Cover and bring to a boil. Cook for 30 minutes.

Check the doneness of the chicken, the internal temperature should reach 165º F. Having a reliable meat thermometer is really helpful here (I use this one). Continue to cook if needed. When the chicken is done remove and set aside to cool. 

Add the egg noodles to the soup and cook according to the package instructions, on avergae they usually take 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat once the noodles are done.

Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle remove the skin and bones and discard. Dice (or shred) the chicken into bite sized pieces. Add back into the soup. Taste the soup and see if you need to add salt, this will depend on what kind of broth you use, whether it is homemade, low-sodium. or storebought. I usually will add at least ½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt but add more if you think it needs it, this is a lot of soup so don’t be stingy with the salt. Remember to remove the bay leaves and serve.

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