Description
This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting and flavorful classic made with tender shredded rotisserie chicken, wide egg noodles, fresh vegetables, and fragrant herbs simmered in a rich chicken broth. It's perfect for a cozy meal any day of the week and can be ready in just 40 minutes.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 large yellow onion (about 2 cups diced)
- 3 medium carrots (cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds, about 1 3/4 cups)
- 3 medium celery stalks (cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces, about 1 1/4 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons low-sodium chicken broth (about 8 cups)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
Protein and Pasta
- 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) rotisserie chicken or about 1 pound cooked, boneless chicken (shredded, about 3 cups)
- 6 ounces dried extra-wide egg noodles (about 3 1/4 cups)
Finishing Touches
- 1/2 medium bunch fresh parsley or dill (finely chopped, about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 large lemon (optional, juice only, about 2 tablespoons)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice the large yellow onion, peel and cut the carrots into 1/2-inch rounds, cut the celery stalks into 1/2-inch pieces, and mince the garlic cloves. Add each prepared vegetable to a large bowl as you finish cutting.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter or olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, celery, garlic, 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook while stirring occasionally until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth and herbs: Pour in the two cartons (64 ounces total) of low-sodium chicken broth, add 5 sprigs of fresh thyme and 2 dried bay leaves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.
- Shred the chicken: While the soup heats, remove the meat from a rotisserie chicken or use cooked boneless chicken. Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces using two forks, aiming for about 3 cups total.
- Cook noodles and add chicken: Add the shredded chicken and 6 ounces of dried extra-wide egg noodles to the boiling soup. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the noodles are just shy of al dente, about 7 minutes or 1 minute less than package instructions.
- Finish soup: Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Taste the soup and add more kosher salt if needed. Stir in the finely chopped parsley or dill (about 1/4 cup). If using, squeeze the juice of 1/2 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons) into the soup and combine well.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth instead of store-bought.
- Substitute extra-wide egg noodles with any pasta shape you prefer, such as fettuccine or medium shell pasta.
- To make this soup dairy-free, use olive oil instead of butter for sautéing the vegetables.
- Leftover cooked chicken or even rotisserie chicken from the store works well in this recipe.
- Do not overcook the noodles; they should remain slightly firm as they will continue to soften when the soup cools.
- If fresh parsley or dill is unavailable, dried herbs can be used at a reduced quantity (about 1 teaspoon).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 2/3 cups
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
