Chicken Noodle Soup (Printable)
Tender chicken, egg noodles, and vegetables simmered in a savory broth for a warm, nourishing one-pot meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meat & Broth
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 14 oz)
02 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Vegetables
03 - 2 medium carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 small onion, diced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Noodles
07 - 5 oz egg noodles
→ Spices & Seasonings
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
11 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Optional Garnishes
12 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How to Make It:
01 - Heat a small amount of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
02 - Pour in the chicken broth and add the chicken breasts, bay leaf, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Bring the liquid to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
03 - Carefully remove the chicken breasts from the pot and set them aside on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
04 - Add the egg noodles to the simmering broth and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but still hold their shape.
05 - Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
06 - Ladle the hot soup into individual bowls. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley if desired and serve immediately.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth develops real depth in under an hour by simmering the chicken right in the aromatics instead of using pre-cooked meat.
- Everything cooks in one pot which means cleanup is almost nonexistent and that matters more than people admit.
02 -
- Do not let the soup reach a rolling boil once the chicken goes in because aggressive boiling makes the meat tough and clouds the broth.
- If you plan to store leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl individually so they do not absorb all the broth overnight and turn into a starchy mess.
03 -
- Slice your carrots and celery to roughly the same thickness so they finish cooking at the same time instead of having some pieces mushy and others crunchy.
- The secret to deeply flavorful broth is patience during the initial sauté because those softened vegetables are doing more heavy lifting than any spice ever could.