Chicken noodle soup is the most comforting food I know. It’s simple, familiar, and somehow always exactly what you need. And with the weather swinging from warm days to icy air, it just feels right to have a big pot simmering on the stove.
Chicken noodle soup is, without a doubt, the most classic comfort food ever invented. It tastes like love. And, I'm certain we're all in need of a little comforting these days.
Like most good things, chicken noodle soup starts very simply. And it just may be the ticket to brightening someone's cold, dreary evening. Get out a big soup pot and let's get started.
It's really easy to make and a very soothing thing to do on a grey afternoon. The chopping and simmering is satisfying, and the aroma that fills the kitchen will bring back a flood of childhood memories.
A good chicken noodle soup starts with a rich, golden broth. That’s where all the flavor and comfort come from. And the best part? You can even start with chicken breast straight from the freezer — I do it all the time.
Put the chicken, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and then crack some fresh ground black pepper into a deep soup pot. There’s no need to add salt yet.
I like to use whole garlic cloves and cut the onion into big chunks. Celery and carrots add so much flavor that you don’t have to be fussy—chop them into generous pieces.
Cover with enough cold water so everything is submerged and simmer until the chicken is tender. From frozen, this will take about 2 hours or so, but simmering for longer is also okay. Your whole house will smell great, and the resulting broth makes a flavorful base.
You'll discard the vegetables in the soup base, so don't get too fussy about how the veggies are cut at this point. We want to capture all the flavor while maintaining a clear, golden broth in the soup. If this seems wasteful, you can puree the vegetables and use them as a base for a casserole or sauce.
When the chicken is tender, use a slotted spoon to remove the chicken and vegetables from the broth. Discard the vegetables from the broth or decide how to use them, and set the chicken aside to be chopped or shredded.
Retain the broth and add enough water to make 3 1/2 to 4 quarts. Bring everything to a simmer.
Chop up more carrots.
Chop up more celery.
Next, add the noodles, along with the raw sliced carrots and celery, to the bubbling broth. Stir in about 4 ounces (or more to taste) of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. In my opinion, nothing makes a better soup.
Once your broth is ready and the vegetables have done their job, strain them out. Chop the chicken and return it to the pot. Add noodles and simmer until they’re tender. That’s it — the simplest, coziest bowl you’ll make all week.
Chicken soup is legendary for helping us recover from a cold. Science can't prove it, but millions of moms and grandmas can't be wrong! In fact, it's sometimes called "Jewish penicillin" as a nod to those doting grandmas (like me) who love to dish up steaming bowls of the golden goodness for the people they love.
We're officially into colder weather and soup season. Actually, I love having a pot of soup made and ready to reheat when I get home from work. It's a bonus evening with very few dishes to wash! And almost always, soup is better the second time around!
We eat lots of soup in the fall and winter, and I'll be sharing many of our favorites. I look forward to hearing about the soups and stews your family loves to eat, as well as the traditions you have built around them.
Every family has strong opinions about chicken noodle soup. Should the noodles be cooked in the broth or cooked separately? There’s no wrong answer, but here’s something to consider.
You decide! But if you cook your noodles in a separate pot, drain them, and add the hot broth to the noodles when serving, everyone gets the perfect amount, and the leftovers stay beautiful — no swollen noodles, no lost broth. This may be a better option if you plan to reheat the soup or have guests who follow a gluten-free diet.
If you’re in a hurry, these work wonderfully:
Use what you have, make what you can, and don’t overthink it. Good chicken noodle soup is more forgiving than it looks.
Do you eat soup on special occasions? How about on Christmas? Do you smash fistfuls of crackers in your soup or eat it from a mug you cradle in your hands to warm them? I'm dying to know your soup stories!
How to make this delicious homemade chicken noodle soup featuring a rich, golden broth, loads of celery, carrots, and tender, juicy chicken.
Instructions for the broth:
Put the chicken breasts (You can even start from frozen, I usually do!) the roughly chopped celery, carrots, onion, garlic, and a generous cracking of fresh black pepper in a deep soup pot. Do not add salt. Cover with enough cold water so it’s all submerged and simmer until the chicken is tender. From frozen, this will take about 2 hours or so but if simmers on longer, that’s ok too. Your kitchen will smell great and the resulting broth makes a great soup base!
Now let's make it into a beautiful bowl of soup!
Remove the chicken breasts. Shred or dice it as you prefer and set aside. Using a wide slotted spoon, remove the vegetables and discard or use them as you please. Retain broth and add water enough to make 3 1/2 to 4 quarts. Bring to a boil and add noodles along with raw sliced carrots and celery. Stir in about 4 ounces (or more to taste) of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Chicken Base. In my opinion, nothing makes a better soup. When the noodles and vegetables are tender, add the chicken and simmer together until soup is heated through. Add parsley! Somehow adding parsley makes everything look prettier and taste better!!
Around here, we eat a lot of soup in the colder weather. We both love how we can cook once and eat two or three times with very few dishes to wash. Here are some of the soups I make most often at our house.
Hamburger Vegetable Soup: This version of hamburger vegetable soup is a recipe and not a recipe. You're the cook; feel free to make adjustments to the ingredients as needed. I call this version "comfort soup" because it is the delicious soup I take to my friends when they need some love or at least a lift.
Beer Chili: Here's a recipe for a mildly seasoned, family-style chili that's easy to make, reheats well, and freezes beautifully!
Minestrone: A colorful, healthy, veggie-packed soup with pasta in a delicious tomatoey vegetable broth.
Beef Noodle: Instant Pot recipe for Tender beef, celery, and carrots, combined with noodles in a rich, hearty beef broth - but fast!
Split Pea With Ham: Here is a recipe for a simple and hearty soup that's meaty enough to be a main dish entree. It tastes amazing, and it's loaded with protein and fiber. An excellent use for leftover ham!
💛 Every recipe I share here is made in my very own kitchen. I’m a directions-reader by nature, so you’ll always find clear, step-by-step instructions that are tested and written to work the first time you try them. Making soup should feel relaxing, like having a friend by your side. You do!
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Love, GB (Betty Streff)
Real food. Real kitchen. Real easy.
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I can t afford chicken brests can i use legs or cheaper cut ?
Sure! I have used a whole chicken, and I'm sure chicken thighs would be fine, although you may need to chill the broth and skim off some fat. Let me know how it turns out!