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Fill up on veggies and flavor with this cozy, hearty, Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. Made with a variety of ingredients and seasonings, it’s a well-rounded meal perfect for weeknights!
Get ready for the best chicken noodle soup recipe
Chicken noodle soup is a classic recipe โ you can’t go wrong! Achieving the perfect flavor comes down to using the right combination of broth and seasonings, and this recipe does just that. By using onion, celery, carrots, and parsnips, we’re bulking it up to create a healthy, filling soup that’s sure to hit the spot.
This is a great go-to for cozy cold nights, and it freezes well too! Whip up a double batch and freeze half for later, or half your recipe to enjoy for just tonight.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe
We will be using a long list of veggies paired with a bunch of seasonings for a soup full of flavor and heartiness! The veggies are flexible, so feel free to mix and match amounts and types if you’re trying to use up what you already have.
- Chicken: Start with 1 whole chicken. It should be around 3.5 to 4 lbs and will contribute to 10 1 cup servings of soup!
- Butter: Next, you will need 2 tbsp of butter. You can use olive oil if preferred.
- Veggies: For the veggies, prepare the following: 1 large onion, 5 stalks of celery, 5 large carrots, and 2 large parsnips. These load up the soup with bulk and flavor!
- Garlic: Season the soup by including 5 cloves of minced garlic. If you don’t have fresh cloves, you can use 1 1/4 teaspoons of garlic powder.
- Chicken broth: Bulk up the soup and add liquid with 4 cups of chicken broth.
- Water: Do the same with water, and add 8 cups.
- Seasonings: Seasonings are everything in chicken noodle soup! Add 1/4 cup of fresh, chopped dill, 1/4 cup of fresh, chopped parsley, 2 tsp of celery salt, and 1 tsp of pepper.
- Lemon juice: 2 tsp of lemon juice will add a dash of zingy flavor.
- Salt & pepper: Add extra salt and pepper to taste after simmering. I typically find that another 1/2 tsp or more of each does the trick!
- Egg noodles: As for the noodles, use 10 oz of your favorite egg noodles.
- Corn or peas: Last but not least, include 1 cup of either frozen corn or frozen peas!
Kitchen tools needed to make this chicken noodle soup recipe
To make this easy chicken noodle soup recipe, you will simply need a cutting board, a chopping knife, a large stockpot, and a stirring utensil.
For measuring, gather 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, and 1 cup.
How to make the best homemade chicken noodle soup
Chicken noodle soup is very easy to make! The whole process is done in one pot on the stove which makes for a simple prep and an easy cleanup.
Begin by cleaning the whole chicken. Pat it dry.
Prepare the veggies by dicing and slicing them into bite-sized pieces.
In a large stockpot, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, and parsnips. Let cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Next, add the whole chicken to the stockpot followed by the broth and water. Bring everything to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to medium.
Let the chicken and veggies cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the chicken temperature reaches 165ยฐF throughout.
Once fully cooked, take the chicken out to cool and turn the stock heat down to low.
Add the dill, parsley, celery, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to the stock. Stir and simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle (15-20 minutes), pull the meat off of the bones and break it into smaller pieces and chunks. Add the pieces back into the stock.
Bring the stock back to a light boil.
Finally, add the noodles and corn or peas to the stock and cook for an additional 15 minutes on medium heat.
What is the best type of chicken for soup?
Though this recipe calls for a whole chicken, you may be interested in making a smaller batch, and therefore using much less meat! If that is the case, consider using chicken thighs. They are a great option for soups as they cook very well on the stove. Chicken breasts make a good second option.
Recipe Tips
Can I use chicken stock?
You can! However, note that chicken broth has more flavor (because it’s made from the meat). If you go with stock, consider using 5 cups of stock and 7 cups of water. This will help compensate for the lower flavor of the stock.
Fat on the top of your soup?
Notice fat gathering on the top of the soup while cooking? This is normal! If you see this, simply skim it off and discard. If fat gathers after cooling, either reheat the soup or skim and discard.
Additional seasoning options
Feel free to add even more flavor to your soup with the addition of thyme, oregano, and/or bay leaves.
Storing leftovers
One great thing about this recipe (besides the wonderful flavor, of course) is that it stores very well! To freeze, simply let the soup cool before transferring it to an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to four months.
To store for tomorrow, follow the same method: Let cool and then transfer to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator. Enjoy within 1 week.
If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!
If you’re on the hunt for some more chicken recipes, consider one of these! The meatballs are a favorite, and the salad recipe is a well-balanced, filling option!
- Baked Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- Easy Stuffed Chicken Breast Recipe
- Pesto Chicken Salad Recipe
- Chicken Cobb Salad with Avocado Dressing
Photos by Moriah Sawtelle and recipe by Erin Antoniak.
Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Fill up on veggies and flavor with this cozy, hearty, Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. Made with a variety of ingredients and seasonings, it’s a well-rounded meal perfect for weeknights!
Ingredients
- 3.5 – 4lb whole chicken
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
- 1 large onion
- 5 stalks of celery
- 5 large carrots
- 2 large parsnips
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- extra salt + pepper to taste (typically another 1/2 tsp or more of each – taste after simmered)
- 10 oz egg noodles
- 1 cup frozen corn or 1 cup frozen peas
Instructions
- Clean whole chicken and pat dry.
- Prepare all veggies by dicing and slicing into bite sized pieces.
- In a large stockpot, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add in onion, celery, carrots, and parsnips. Let cook 4-5 minutes until beginning to soften. Add garlic and cook an additional minute.
- Add whole chicken to stockpot, then add broth and water. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium.
- Let chicken and veggies cook for 45-60 minutes, or until chicken temperature reaches 165F throughout.
- Once temperature is reached, take chicken out to cool. Turn stock heat down to low.
- Add dill, parsley, celery salt, pepper, and lemon juice to stock. Stir. Let simmer on very low heat for 30 minutes.
- Once chicken is cool enough to handle (15-20 minutes) pull off all meat off bones and into smaller pieces/chunks, and then add back into stock.
- Once all the chicken is added to stock, bring back to a light boil.
- Add noodles and peas/corn and cook for an additional 15 minutes on medium heat.
- Serve!
Notes
*If fat gathers on the top of the soup, just skim off and discard. If fat gathers after it has cooled, just reheat or skim and take off based on preference.
*this soup freezes perfectly or will stay good in the refrigerator for 1 week.
There may be affiliate links in this post!ย By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat ๐
Samantha says
I made this and it came out great! I used 2lbs of chicken breast which fully cooked in 15-18minutes at a simmer. Continued to simmer with dill and lemon juice, added shredded chicken and noodles and it was done! Simple and very nourishing
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Samantha, so happy you loved the soup and made it your own! ๐
Sarah says
Delicious! Made it when everyone was feeling a little under the weather. Very easy to make and everyone ate it!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Sarah, so happy you loved it and hope everyone feels better!
Elizabeth says
THE BEST! I absolutely love this chicken noodle soup! It is so awesome to use an entire whole chicken. You get all those bone broth nutrients. So good, Erin, you did it again! Thanks ๐
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Elizabeth, so happy you enjoyed it! ๐
Jackie T. says
This is literally the best chicken soup – perfect bowl of comfort and my whole family (including little kiddos) loves it. Perfection.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jackie, so happy you all loved it! ๐
Sarah says
The BEST chicken noodle soup!! We’ve been making this on repeat since last year. The perfect comfort food for the fall/winter. We just tried the creamy chicken and wild rice too and it’s incredible!! Thank you!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Sarah, so happy you loved it!! ๐
Tara says
I’ve never been a huge fan of chicken noodle soup, but I had been feeling a bit under the weather so I thought I’d give it a try. This was absolutely delicious. I loved the addition of parsnips, dill, and lemon. It added a nice zing and I now have a new opinion about chicken noodle soup!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Tara, so happy you loved this and hope you’re feeling better!!
Jess says
First recipe I tried from ELW and love it! Perfect for a cold day and easy to make. Made this for football Sunday and was a hit!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Jess, so happy you loved it!
Megan says
This one takes some time but it was perfect to use up the leftover thanksgiving turkey! The fresh herbs and lemon create such a great flavor.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Megan, so happy you loved it and made it your own!
Kevin says
Hi Erin what I did to the soup instead of 4 cups of broth I put in 8 and was low sodium broth was definitely delicious ๐ thank you for your recipe
Erin says
Hi Kevin, so glad you loved it!! ๐
Meghan says
Honestly – mindblowing. This soup was SOOOOOO GOOD. I made it for sick babies and we all really enjoyed it. So soothing! Iโll never make a different recipe for chicken noodle again!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Meghan, so happy you loved it!
Meghan says
Following up – I froze this soup 1) in souper cubes and 2) in a giant ziploc bag. Both held up and defrosted great! Itโs been such a treat!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Meghan, thanks so much for sharing!! ๐
Megan says
Best chicken noodle soup Iโve ever had! My boyfriend said it was a 10/10! Please make this- you wonโt regret it!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Megan, so happy you loved it! ๐
Lauren Chamberlain says
Reminds me of what my Nana used to make when I was growing up. Great for a cold fall night. I used chicken breasts in lieu of a whole bird to save time. I imagine it would be even more delicious with that!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lauren, so happy you loved the soup and made it your own! ๐
Marissa says
This soup was insanely delicious! My whole family loved it. We will absolutely be making it again soon!
Erin says
Hi Marissa, so glad it was such a big hit!! ๐
Lacey says
This was UNREAL and the best chicken noodle soup ever!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lacey, so glad you loved it!!
Mackenzie says
Iโm a night shift nurse and Iโve been craving some chicken noodle soup as the weather has been changing, but because of my weird sleep schedule I didnโt want something sitting on the stove while I slept. I saw a comment below to make it in a crockpot on low for 8 hours. So when I came home from my shift this morning I put everything in the crockpot and when I woke up I had delicious chicken soup! So easy, I sent it to all of my friends!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Mackenzie, so happy you loved it!!
Olivia says
Perfect on a cold, rainy day! Kid approved too!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Olivia, so happy everyone enjoyed it!! ๐
Krissy says
The perfect simple chicken noodle soup! Can it be made in the crock pot / instant pot? Not sure when to add seasonings and noodles. Thanks!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Krissy, so glad you liked it and yes! I would do the crockpot for 8 hours on low, then add the cooked noodles towards the end. Let me know how yours comes out!!
Rachel S. says
Easy, delicious, and perfect for a cold night!!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Rachel, so happy you liked it!!
Deirdre says
This soup is so delicious and actually very easy to make!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Deirdre, so glad you loved it!!