Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup combines tender chicken, wide egg noodles, and hearty vegetables in a rich, flavorful broth thickened with flour and finished with half-and-half for a comforting meal perfect for any day.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 3/4 cup (100g) chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced carrots (1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced celery (2–3 stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (around 1 and 1/2 cups or 280g)
Liquids and Dairy
- 8 cups (1.92 liters) chicken broth (preferably reduced sodium)
- 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half or whole milk
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
Proteins
- 2 cups (about 250g) shredded or chopped cooked chicken
Dry Ingredients and Seasonings
- 3–4 cups (about 112-150g) uncooked wide egg noodles (or other dry pasta)
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
Optional Garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
- Add Flour and Herbs: Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes to form a roux and toast the herbs slightly.
- Add Broth and Potato: Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced potato. Stir everything quickly to combine, then increase heat to medium-high.
- Boil and Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil without stirring and let it boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Add Chicken, Dairy, and Noodles: Stir in the shredded chicken, half-and-half or whole milk, and uncooked noodles. Cook for 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and the soup has thickened. Taste again and adjust seasonings as desired.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh thyme leaves if desired. Serve warm.
- Store Leftovers: Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week. Reheat on stovetop over medium heat, adding more chicken broth if the soup is too thick from noodles and potatoes absorbing liquid.
Notes
- Freeze soup for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on stove.
- Use a 4-quart or larger Dutch oven for best results.
- Slow Cooker Option: Start stovetop through sautéing, then transfer to slow cooker with broth and potatoes. Cook 2 hours on low, add chicken, dairy, and noodles, and cook 1 more hour on low.
- Flavor Tip: Add a squeeze of fresh lemon in the last minutes of cooking for brightness.
- Flour Substitute: Use 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch instead of flour for thickening.
- Herb Variations: Substitute 1 1/2–2 teaspoons Italian seasoning for thyme and oregano.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt level; adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Chicken Options: Rotisserie chicken, roasted chicken breasts, or boiled chicken breasts shredded works well.
- Dairy Substitutes: Plain oat milk or almond milk can be used but will reduce creaminess. Heavy cream (1/2 cup) can be substituted by reducing half-and-half and adding extra broth.
- Noodle Options: Wide egg noodles preferred; smaller pasta or rice can be substituted adjusting quantity and cooking times.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
