This homemade chicken noodle soup is cozy, flavorful, and simple enough to make on a weeknight. Made with tender chicken, classic vegetables, noodles, and a flavorful blend of seasonings, it’s the kind of comforting soup you’ll want to make all fall and winter long. Our version keeps all the classic ingredients you’d expect while adding a few simple seasonings that give the broth so much flavor without making it complicated.
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What Seasoning Is Good in Chicken Noodle Soup?
- Looking For Other Variations of Chicken Soup?
- Ingredient Notes
- Recipe Tips & Variations
- What to Serve With Chicken Noodle Soup
- How to Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Homemade Chicken Soup FAQs
- Other Homemade Soup Recipes
- The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A simple combination of garlic, Italian seasoning, turmeric, salt, pepper, and bay leaf gives the broth plenty of flavor without making it complicated.
- Everything comes together in one pot, which means less cleanup afterward.
- This recipe is flexible to what you have on hand! Use chicken breast or rotisserie chicken and swap in your favorite type of noodles.
- The familiar flavors make this a great meal for the whole family.
- It’s especially cozy on a cold night, but it’s easy enough to make any time you’re craving a warm bowl of soup.
What Seasoning Is Good in Chicken Noodle Soup?
The right seasoning can make a big difference in homemade chicken noodle soup. While chicken, vegetables, and broth provide the foundation, a few simple spices and seasonings give the soup its signature flavor.
For this homemade broth, we use:
- Italian seasoning: Typically a blend of dried herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram. The exact blend can vary by brand, and some versions also include herbs like parsley or sage. If you don't have Italian seasoning on hand, you can use a combination of dried herbs you already have in your pantry.
- Garlic: Adds savory flavor and makes the broth taste more developed.
- Turmeric: Gives the soup a beautiful golden color and adds a subtle peppery flavor.
- Salt and black pepper: Brings all of the other flavors together.
- Bay leaf: Adds another layer of flavor while the soup simmers.
You don't need a long list of spices to make a flavorful chicken noodle soup. This simple combination gives the broth plenty of savory flavor without overpowering the chicken and vegetables.
Looking For Other Variations of Chicken Soup?
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken broth - You can use either chicken broth or chicken bone broth for the base of this soup. Because different broths can have different amounts of salt, taste the soup at the end and add more salt if needed.
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast - You can cook the raw chicken breast right in the pot with the broth or add pre-cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken in at the end. You could also swap with chicken thighs if that's what you have on hand.
- Yellow onion, celery, and carrots - Add the classic texture and flavor to homemade chicken noodle soup.
- Garlic - We prefer to use fresh minced garlic, but garlic powder can also be used.
- Turmeric - Adds a subtle earthy flavor and beautiful golden color.
- Italian seasoning - Our favorite way to add a blend of classic dried herbs to the broth.
- Bay leaf - Adds depth while the soup simmers.
- Kosher salt and black pepper - Season the broth and bring everything together. Salt to taste at the end!
- Egg noodles - Wide egg noodles are our favorite for a classic homemade chicken noodle soup, but you can use your favorite pasta. For a gluten-free version, you can use a gluten-free pasta.
See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements for this easy chicken noodle soup recipe.
Recipe Tips & Variations
- If using raw chicken, do not overcook it. Remove it from the pot as soon as it reaches 165°F, then add it back after the noodles are cooked.
- Butterfly thick chicken breasts. This helps them cook more quickly and evenly. Not sure what the butterfly technique looks like? Take a look at this video from Taste of Home for some help.
- Use rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked, shredded chicken for a shortcut. It's an easy way to turn this into an even faster meal.
- Taste before serving. Depending on the broth you use, you may want to add a little more salt or pepper at the end.
- Cook noodles just until tender. They will continue to soften slightly as they sit in the hot broth.
- Want to freeze it? Freeze the soup without the noodles for the best texture.
- Garnish with fresh herbs such as fresh thyme or fresh parsley.
What to Serve With Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is delicious on its own, but we love serving it with something alongside it to make a cozy meal.
Try it with:
- Crusty bread
- Homemade rolls
- A simple green salad
- Crackers
- Fry bread with a little honey, if you want to recreate the way we grew up eating it
Whether you're making it for a cold evening, a family dinner, or simply because you want a comforting bowl of soup, we hope this homemade chicken noodle soup becomes a favorite in your kitchen, too.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
Step 1: Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Step 2: Stir in the garlic, turmeric, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Step 4: Add the bay leaf and chicken broth. Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth, making sure they are mostly submerged. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked shredded chicken, skip adding the raw chicken and continue with the next step.
Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Set aside. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, simmer the soup for about 10 minutes instead, to allow the flavors to develop.
Step 5: Bring the soup to a gentle boil and add the egg noodles. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions, until the noodles are al dente.
Step 6: Remove the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked shredded chicken, add it to the pot and stir to combine.
Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.
Homemade Chicken Soup FAQs
Store leftover chicken noodle soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind that the noodles will continue to absorb some of the broth as the soup sits. When reheating, you can add a splash of additional chicken broth or water if needed. Reheat individual portions in the microwave or warm the soup gently on the stovetop.
Yes, but for the best texture, we recommend freezing the soup without cooking the noodles. Cooked noodles can become soft or mushy after freezing and reheating. If you're making this soup specifically to freeze, prepare the chicken, vegetables, broth, and seasonings, then freeze that portion of the soup in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. When you're ready to serve it, thaw the soup, bring it to a simmer, and cook fresh noodles directly in the soup. You can also freeze leftover soup if you don't mind the noodles being a little softer after reheating.
We love using Italian seasoning, garlic, turmeric, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper in chicken noodle soup to create a flavorful broth. This combination adds plenty of flavor while still keeping the classic chicken noodle soup taste.
We especially love using wide egg noodles, but you can use almost any pasta you have on hand. Try: Egg noodles, rotini, fettuccine broken into smaller pieces, or your favorite gluten-free pasta.
Keep in mind that different types of pasta absorb different amounts of broth and have different cooking times, so follow the package directions for whichever noodles you choose.
This recipe is dairy-free. It can easily be gluten-free as well with the use of your favorite gluten-free noodles such as Banza pasta.
Other Homemade Soup Recipes
If you make this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, please let us know how it turns out in the comments below and/or rate the recipe! Don’t forget to tag us on Instagram to show us your finished product—it makes our day every time we see you trying the recipes we love!
The Best Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 ½ cups celery, diced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt + more to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 whole bay leaf
- 8 cups chicken broth or bone broth
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
Instructions
- Heat the butter or olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, turmeric, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add the bay leaf and chicken broth. Nestle the chicken breasts into the broth, making sure they are mostly submerged. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked shredded chicken, skip adding the raw chicken and continue with the next step.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred it with two forks. Set aside. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken, simmer the soup for about 10 minutes instead, to allow the flavors to develop.
- Bring the soup to a gentle boil and add the egg noodles. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or according to package directions, until the noodles are al dente.
- Remove the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. If using rotisserie or pre-cooked shredded chicken, add it to the pot and stir to combine.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm.
Notes
- Save time/prep ahead:
- Use pre-cooked shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken. Add it at the end after the noodles are cooked and heat through.
- Measure out the seasonings for the chicken noodle soup ahead of time.
- The recipe can be found on My Fitness Pal by searching "BWB Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup." The nutrition content provided for each recipe is an estimate created through the My Fitness Pal database. Please be aware that the nutritional content of each recipe may vary based on the products you use, the precision of your measurements, and the source you use to obtain nutrition data. While we try to provide accurate information, we give no guarantee regarding the accuracy of the nutritional information provided.
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