Ultra-Satisfying Chicken Noodle Soup
- PREP 5min
- COOK 35min
- TOTAL 40min
You will love this homemade chicken noodle soup, which skips cooking a whole chicken and calls on boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead. The soup tastes incredible, satisfying, and classic, and the significantly reduced cooking time makes it the best chicken noodle soup for a weeknight.
You Will Need
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, 4 to 5 thighs
5 ounces egg noodles or pasta of choice
2 tablespoons butter, chicken fat, or olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped, optional
1 heaped tablespoon minced garlic, 4 cloves
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme or use 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
8 cups chicken stock or broth, low sodium, or use homemade stock
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
Water or more stock, as needed
Directions
Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring every few minutes until the vegetables begin to soften; 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the garlic, bay leaves, and thyme. Cook, while stirring the garlic around the pan, for about 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a low simmer. Taste the soup then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Depending on the stock used, you might need to add 1 or more teaspoons of salt.
Submerge the chicken thighs into the soup so that the broth covers them. Bring the soup back to a low simmer then partially cover the pot with a lid and cook, stirring a few times until the chicken thighs are cooked through; about 20 minutes.
If, during this time, the broth seems low, add a splash more stock or a bit of water. Turn the heat to medium-low.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Stir the noodles into the soup and cook until done, 6 to 10 minutes depending on the type of noodles used.
While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into strips or dice into cubes. Slide the chicken back into the pot and then taste the soup once more for seasoning. Adjust with more salt and pepper, as needed. Stir in the parsley and serve.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Refrigerate in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months. As the soup sits, the noodles soak up the broth. When you reheat, add a splash of extra broth or water.
- Make ahead: Follow the recipe above, but do not add the noodles. Refrigerate or freeze the soup. When ready to reheat, bring the soup to a low simmer and add the dried noodles. Cook until they are done, and enjoy.
- Seasoning the Soup: If you feel the soup is missing some zing, add a bit more salt. You can also add a pop of flavor with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a dash of fish sauce (we use this trick for store-bought stocks and broths often) or Worcestershire sauce.
- Using rotisserie chicken: Add two to three cups of shredded or diced cooked chicken to the soup when you add the dried noodles and reduce the simmer time by 10 minutes. (I love using leftover roasted chicken!)
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.