Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
This classic chicken noodle soup is positively perfect on a cold winter night. It really is comfort in a bowl. And you can’t beat homemade.
Chicken Noodle Soup. Seriously…so basic, right?
Yeah, unless you are me. I’m plenty particular when it comes to my chicken noodle soup which is why I finally decided to perfect the stuff. Here’s what I require: Lots of chicken. Lots of it.
The same goes for the noodles. And not just any noodles. Good-quality, thick noodles (my brand recommendation is down in the Notes of the recipe). The noodles make the soup, baby. Oh, and lots of flavor doesn’t hurt either.
My preference is to cook my whole chicken up in the slow cooker all day with some pumped up broth (thanks to the veggies and seasonings added in with the chicken and broth) and then throw the rest of the soup together with the slow cooker broth in a flash about 30 minutes before eating.
We love a slightly creamy chicken noodle soup, but I’ve left that part optional in case you fall among the more classic lines of chicken-noodle-soup-lovers.
Looks like I still have plenty of time to enjoy a good pot of this chicken noodle soup since we just got slammed with another six inches of snow. (Hey, Winter, it’s March already!!)
What to Serve With This
- Saltine crackers
- A really, great dinner roll (for homemade, I’d suggest French Bread Rolls or Buttery Cornmeal Crescents)
- Fresh fruit or a light fruit salad like this Honey Lime Fruit Salad
One Year Ago: Honey Roast Chicken
Two Years Ago: Toasted Orzo with Peas and Parmesan
Three Years Ago: Asian Chicken Salad
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
For Chicken and Broth:
- 3-4 pound whole chicken, neck and giblets removed
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 3 stalks celery, chopped in large chunks
- 3-4 carrots, cut in large chunks
- 1 onion, chopped in large pieces
Soup:
- 12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 pound carrots, chopped
- 1-2 teaspoons salt, to taste, depending on the broth
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 16-20 ounces egg noodles
- 1 cup cream or half-and-half combined with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional for creamy-style
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken, removing the neck and giblets. Place the chicken in a slow cooker and add the other ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.
- Carefully remove the chicken and set aside in a large bowl until the chicken is cool enough to handle without burning your fingertips off. Meanwhile, remove and discard the large solids from the chicken broth and strain the chicken broth into a large pot.
- To the same pot, add another 12 cups chicken broth, the chopped vegetables and the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, covered, for 12-15 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly tender (they’ll cook more when the noodles cook). Taste the broth and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Add the noodles and cook according to package directions at a rolling boil. While the noodles are cooking, take the chicken off the bones and shred into bite-size pieces.
- For a creamy version, combine the cream (or half-and-half) and cornstarch in a liquid measuring, whisking to dissolve the cornstarch. Add the slurry to the soup and simmer rapidly for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the shredded chicken. Serve.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Love this chicken soup recipe! I’m making it right now. It is my new go to classic chicken soup. Thanks Mel for the many delicious recipes that are now a part of my weekly meal planning!