Easy chicken noodle soup recipe

Using leftover or rotisserie chicken makes this chicken noodle soup super easy and perfect for days when you need home-made comfort in a bowl.

Easy chicken noodle soup recipe

Ingredients

Full recipe and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. 

  • Onion. 
  • Carrots. 
  • Celery. 
  • Leeks. 
  • Garlic. 
  • Herbs. Use any dried or fresh herbs you have. Thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano and parsley will work well.
  • Chicken stock/broth. Use the best quality stock you can find. Homemade is of course best but there are so many good options in supermarkets.
  • Lemon juice. 
  • Chicken. I love using leftover roast chicken or a shredded rotisserie chicken for this soup.
  • Noodles. Use any noodles or pasta of your choice.
  • Salt and pepper. 

Easy chicken noodle soup recipe

How do you make chicken noodle soup?

  1. Make the base: Preheat a large pot over medium heat. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, leeks and garlic in olive oil and butter (optional) until soft and fragrant. To create more flavor, allow the vegetable to caramelize slightly.
  2. Cook the soup: Pour in homemade or good quality chicken stock/broth. Add the herbs, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, uncovered. Add shredded rotisserie chicken and cooked or fresh noodles and simmer until the noodles are cooked through. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.

How to thicken chicken noodle soup

If you want a thicker soup, there are two options. You can thicken it with a slurry of cornstarch and water. Stir the cornstarch into the hot stock and allow to cook until thickened. Alternatively, blend half of the soup before adding the chicken and noodles. This will add a bit more body to the soup without needing a starch.

What spices are good in chicken noodle soup?

Herbs and spices add so much flavor to soup. Classic flavors like bay leaves, parsley, thyme, rosemary and sage work well with chicken but you can add dried mixed herbs, oregano or cilantro too. Spices like paprika, chili flakes and nutmeg add warmth.

Can you freeze chicken noodle soup?

Yes. Noodles and pasta don’t always freeze very well so if you can, freeze the soup without the noodles. Simply thaw and reheat the soup in a pot then add cooked noodles.

Easy chicken noodle soup recipe

Soup recipes:

  1. Easy healthy chicken broccoli soup
  2. Honey roasted butternut squash soup
  3. Easy Vegetable soup
  4. Mexican chicken soup with charred baby corn
Easy chicken noodle soup recipe

Easy chicken noodle soup

Using leftover or rotisserie chicken makes this chicken noodle soup super easy and perfect for days when you need home-made comfort in a bowl.
4.65 from 17 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken noodle soup, Chicken noodle soup recipe, homemade chicken noodle soup
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Calories: 346kcal
Author: Alida Ryder
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter (optional)
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks finely chopped
  • 2 small leeks finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 tbsp mixed herbs
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 2 cups cooked/rotisserie chicken shredded
  • 500g/1lb noodles fresh/cooked
  • fresh parsley to serve

Instructions

  • Melt the oil and butter together in a pot. 
  • Saute the onion, carrot, celery, leeks and herbs together until soft and starting to caramelize. 
  • Add the garlic and saute for another minute then pour in the chicken stock and add the lemon juice. 
  • Bring to a simmer and allow to simmer for 10 minutes before adding the shredded chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
  • Add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes (or according to package instructions, if using fresh). 
  • Season to taste and add the parsley before serving. 

Video

Notes

This recipe will last for 5-7 days in the fridge in an airtight container. 
The soup can be frozen for up to 3 months but be sure to only add the noodles when ready to serve as they can go mushy when frozen. 

Nutrition

Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 339mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4400IU | Vitamin C: 11.5mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.6mg