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Take the time to make Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch and you'll never be able to make it another way again! My mom's version is a step above the rest, made with homemade stock and egg noodles that take just minutes to make. The end result is the BEST Chicken Noodle Soup you'll ever have!
My kids literally jump up and down with excitement whenever homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is on the menu, and rightfully so, because it is AMAZING! This is one of my go-to recipes to bring to friends or neighbors (along with a loaf of Artisan Bread) during the cooler seasons and it's always a hit. If you love homemade soups, try my Baked Potato Soup too!
What Type of Noodles?
My mom always made chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles, but the great thing about this soup is that any kind of noodles will work!
- Homemade Egg noodles : all you need is flour, salt, milk and eggs and they're ready in 5 minutes!
- Farfalle pasta
- Elbow macaroni
- Rotini
About the Chicken Stock:
If your questioning whether you should use homemade chicken stock, or store-bought for this recipe, homemade is definitely the way to go! The secret is to use a rotisserie chicken so that you can use the meat in the soup and make chicken broth with the leftover carcass and bones. You wont believe how easy it is and it really takes the soup over top in terms of depth of flavor.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:
Make Homemade Chicken Stock ahead of time using a rotisserie chicken, or choose a good brand of store-bought chicken stock.
Sauté veggies. Add butter, diced celery and carrots to a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add chicken stock or broth. Season the broth with salt (definitely TASTE the broth before adding more salt), pepper, and a tiny pinch of rosemary, thyme, and crushed red pepper. I may add another small spoonful of “better than bullion” chicken or chicken bouillon powder as well, if needed, to taste.
Add noodles and boil. Once boiling, add noodles (either the uncooked homemade egg noodles, or dry store-bought pasta) and cook just until noodles are al dente. If using store-bought noodles, be cautious not to overcook them! Remove the soup pot from heat as soon as the noodles are just barely tender, as they will continue to cook off of the heat.
Add chicken. Add chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the broth again and add more seasonings, if needed.
Serve. I love to serve this healthy soup with this easy No Knead Bread or homemade rolls! If you love this recipe, try my new Chicken and Dumpling Soup!
Is chicken noodle soup healthy?
Yes, homemade chicken noodle soup is healthy, and much healthier than store-bought soups which are usually loaded with sodium and other artificial flavors and preservatives. Chicken broth or stock (especially when homemade) are loaded with vitamins and minerals, and soothing for the body. Even if you use store bought chicken broth and noodles, it's still healthier in every way!
Make ahead and freezing instructions:
To make ahead: This soup is best made ahead of time when you are using homemade egg noodles, since they don't get soggy and overcooked like regular store bought noodles. If you wanted to use regular noodles, I recommend making the broth (steps 1-2) first, and then boiling it with the noodles, and adding the chicken, the day of serving.
To store: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, depending on the freshness of the chicken used.
To freeze: Allow the soup to cool completely and store it in a freezer safe container for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, or over medium heat on the stove. If using store bought noodles I would suggest undercooking the noodles before freezing the soup, to avoid them getting soggy upon reheating.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 1/2 Tablespoon butter
- 2 ribs celery, , diced
- 3-4 large carrots, diced
- 1 clove garlic, , minced
- 10 cups chicken stock, , or broth*
- 1 teaspoon salt, , to taste
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, , to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, ,or more, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 batch homemade egg noodles, , or 4 cups dry egg noodles, farfalle or other bite-size pasta
- 3 cups rotisserie chicken, *
- 1 teaspoon better than bouillon chicken flavor, , (or more, as needed), or chicken bouillon granules
Instructions
- Add butter, diced celery and carrots to a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Add chicken stock and season the broth with rosemary, thyme, crushed red pepper, and salt (definitely TASTE the broth before adding more salt), and pepper. Taste and add a spoonful of “better than bullion” chicken or chicken bouillon cubes or granules as needed.
- Bring broth to a boil. Add noodles (either uncooked homemade egg noodles, or dry store-bought pasta) and cook just until noodles are al dente.
- If using store-bought noodles, be cautious not to overcook them! Remove pot from heat as soon as they are just barely tender. The noodles will continue to cook once you remove the pot from the heat, and you don’t want them mushy.
- Add chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the broth again and add more seasonings, if needed.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, depending on the freshness of the chicken you used.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I originally shared this recipe October 2017. Updated September 2021.
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Wow this was SO good – I made it with the homemade noodles. My kids and foodies and said this was the best chicken noodle soup they’ve ever had!
Amazing recipe!! Inspired me to make homemade egg noodles for the first time. Absolutely the best chicken noodle soup recipe ever!! Highly recommend ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Five stars!! Easily!!
Best chicken noodle soup I’ve ever tasted. I added frozen peas and carrots. DELICIOUS!
To date, this is my favorite chicken noodle soup! And I followed the recipe to the letter.
This was sooo good! Definitely a keeper for cold winter nights. Even won over my picky eaters. I have been on the hunt for a good chicken noodle soup for a while and this one is the winner 🌟
This was fantastic! I’m really into cooking, but I don’t make classic, simple dishes that often. I had never made homemade egg noodles and it had been forever since I made CNS. Used the homemade stock recipe, homemade noodle recipe, this, and added a bunch of fresh parsley and some lemon. My husband said this is one of the best things I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to make it when it’s cold out!
I have made this soup and homemade broth over and over, with homemade egg noodles. My husband loves it and so do I. I also make the broth with/for other soups! Love you blog, or recipe site or whatever you call it. 😊 5 star blog, 5 star recipes!
Best chicken noodle soup I’ve ever made! And I followed the recipe to a tee.
Best work
Netmirror app
Made this chicken noodle soup, as well as the homemade chicken stock and egg noodles, and it was absolutely delicious. I will definitely keep these recipes on hand. Thank you so much for sharing those recipes and I will be back on this site to look for more 🙂
This is such a great recipe. It’s easy, quick, the helpful tips within the recipe instructions are super helpful for success, and it is yummy.
If you’re looking for something quick but delicious, this is it! We used a precooked rotisserie from our local grocery store to save time.
Also, great for anyone with no cooking experience.
The soup had a really good flavor but had way too much pasta. I added 6 extra cups of both and it was still too thick. Maybe it should be 5 oz instead of 5cups.
Tastes just like gmas
I love your recipe template -thank you! Added finely chopped fennel, onion and mushrooms + a bone broth that I love. So tasty!
Amazingly delicious. I made homemade stock using your recipe in above link. Yum. I did add a little onion and garlic powder for a deeper flavor. This is by far the best chicken noodle soup I’ve made. Thanks for sharing!!
Would do 2-3 cups noodles. 5 made this a pasta dish and I followed instructions to a T. Had to go back to store and buy some extra broth to bring it back to a soup. Not sure how 5 worked for anyone.
I agree. I think the recipe should have been 5 ounces instead of 5 cups.
A note that should be added. I haven’t made this recipe, but am using it as a reference when making my own chicken soup. If you are buying chicken stock or broth from the store, get unsalted chicken stock or broth or else you will have ungodly levels of sodium in the stock. When making the soup, as Lauren says, you can add salt for your tastes when you try it and have a healthier soup in the process. If you have a salter or lower sodium variety you are working from a higher salt level and can customize it to your tastes only so much.
This is a very good start to a good recipe. However it is missing a couple key ingredients for any great chicken noodle soup. One, is this recipe lacks any onion, which should be sauteed until translucent with butter and added to the broth. Two, parsley should be added either fresh or dry in a pinch. And third, a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce to give the broth that je ne sais quoi to liven it up. I also use more carrot and celery than suggested, but that may be a personal preference.
Super easy and delicious!
Great recipe, works well every time.
I just use less salt and my own chicken since I have to avoid sodium at all costs. Thank you again for this wonderful recipe.