Best Homemade Chicken Soup Recipe

This homemade chicken soup is the classic stovetop kind: chicken browned in olive oil, onion, carrots and celery softened in the same pot, then simmered in chicken broth with thyme, rosemary and a bay leaf, and finished with egg noodles and fresh parsley. Browning the chicken first leaves browned bits in the pot that give store-bought broth a deeper, roasted flavor, which is what keeps a one-hour soup from tasting thin.

It takes about an hour in total (20 minutes of prep, 40 minutes of cooking) and makes 8 servings, so there is usually enough for leftovers or the freezer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil for browning the chicken and vegetables.
• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs: thighs give a richer broth and stay juicier; breasts are leaner but dry out faster. A mix of both works well.
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped into roughly ½-inch pieces.
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds or half-moons.
• 3 celery stalks, sliced the same size as the carrots so they cook evenly.
• 2 cloves garlic, minced.
• 8 cups (2 quarts) low-sodium chicken broth: low-sodium lets you control the salt, since the broth reduces slightly as it simmers.
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary (crushed between your fingers) and 1 bay leaf. Rosemary is strong, so don’t add more.
• 1 cup egg noodles: medium egg noodles are traditional; ditalini, orzo or small shells also work.
• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped, stirred in at the end.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch

1. Prep and season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry, cut it into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper.
2. Brown the chicken. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on all sides, 5–7 minutes. It doesn’t need to be cooked through yet. Transfer it to a plate and leave the browned bits in the pot.
3. Soften the vegetables. Lower the heat to medium. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 7–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the carrots start to soften.
4. Add garlic and herbs. Stir in the garlic, thyme and rosemary and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, without letting the garlic brown.
5. Add the broth. Pour in the broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to lift the browned bits. Add the bay leaf and bring to a gentle simmer.
6. Finish cooking the chicken. Return the chicken and any juices to the pot. Simmer gently 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest piece.
7. Cook the noodles. Add the noodles and simmer according to the package, usually 7–10 minutes, until just tender.
8. Season and serve. Remove the bay leaf, stir in the parsley, and taste. Add salt and pepper until the broth tastes full; a squeeze of lemon brightens it. Serve hot.

Shortcut with rotisserie chicken: skip the browning step, cook the vegetables in the oil, and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken (about the same weight as the raw chicken) with the noodles, just long enough to heat through. The broth will be a little less rich, so taste for salt.

Keeping the Chicken Tender and the Broth Clear

• Tough, stringy chicken: it boiled or cooked too long. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, and check the temperature with a thermometer rather than cutting pieces open. Thighs are more forgiving than breasts.
• Cloudy broth: hard boiling breaks proteins and fat into tiny particles. Keep the heat low and skim any foam from the surface. Cloudiness doesn’t change the flavor.
• Mushy noodles: they went in too early or sat in the hot broth. Add them in the last 10 minutes, and if you expect leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl.
• Bland soup: usually just under-salted, especially with low-sodium broth. Season at the end, a little at a time. A splash of lemon juice or a teaspoon of soy sauce also deepens the flavor.
• Too salty: add more unsalted broth or water, a cup at a time.

Ingredient Swaps and Additions

• Bone-in chicken: brown bone-in, skin-on thighs or breasts, simmer them in the broth until they reach 165°F, then shred the meat and discard the skin and bones. The broth gets noticeably richer, and the simmer takes 10–15 minutes longer. If you have a leftover carcass, the method in this turkey carcass soup works for chicken bones too.
• Rice or quinoa instead of noodles: cook them separately and add to bowls, since both keep absorbing broth in the pot.
• Whole wheat noodles: more fiber and a chewier, nuttier bite; cook them a minute or two longer.
• More vegetables: stir in spinach, kale, peas or diced zucchini in the last 5 minutes so they stay bright.
• Frozen mirepoix: cook it from frozen; it takes a few extra minutes to soften and won’t brown as much.
• Creamy version: stir ½ cup of heavy cream or half-and-half into the finished soup off the heat. Don’t boil it after adding the dairy.
• Dumplings instead of noodles: drop easy yeast dumplings into the simmering soup for the last 15 minutes for a chicken and dumplings style bowl.

What to Serve With Chicken Soup

Crusty bread, sourdough or dinner rolls are the obvious choice for soaking up the broth. For a heartier meal, pair a bowl with an easy grilled cheese sandwich, or keep it light with a green salad and a sharp vinaigrette. At the table, grated Parmesan, a spoonful of pesto or a few drops of hot sauce let everyone adjust their own bowl.

How to Store, Freeze and Reheat Chicken Soup

• Refrigerate: divide the soup into shallow containers so it cools quickly, and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps 3–4 days.
• Freeze: freeze for up to 3 months, leaving an inch of headspace in each container. For the best texture, freeze the soup without noodles and cook fresh noodles when you reheat.
• Reheat: thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to a simmer on the stove, or heat in the microwave until it reaches 165°F throughout. Add a splash of broth or water, since noodles absorb liquid as the soup sits. The safe minimum temperature chart lists the numbers for chicken and leftovers.

FAQ

Can I make this soup vegetarian?

Yes. Leave out the chicken, use vegetable broth, and add a can of drained white beans or chickpeas with the noodles for protein. A pinch of smoked paprika or a dash of soy sauce helps replace some of the savory depth.

Why brown the chicken if it goes back into the broth?

Browning builds flavor on the chicken and leaves browned bits in the pot that dissolve into the broth. Skipping it saves 5–7 minutes, but the soup will taste lighter and more like plain broth.

Can I use only chicken breasts or only thighs?

Either works. All thighs give a richer broth and meat that stays tender even if it simmers a little long. All breasts give a leaner soup, but pull them as soon as they reach 165°F so they don’t turn dry.

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