Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

5 from 5 votes

Simple, rich, hearty, and flavorful chicken soup from scratch! Ready in about an hour, this soup is comforting, customizable, and perfect for busy weeknights or lazy weekends.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: 1-cup servings

Calories: 280kcal

Cost: $10–$12

Equipment

Large stockpot or Dutch oven
Cleaver or sharp knife
Slotted spoon
Small skillet

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
1 whole chicken about 3 ½ pounds
1 medium onion roughly chopped
2 quarts 8 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
2 cups dry wide egg noodles 3 ounces
1 carrot roughly chopped
1 rib celery roughly chopped

Instructions

Prepare the chicken.

Discard giblets and neck from the cavity. Hack off legs, wings, and thighs, cutting each piece into 2-3 smaller pieces as you are able.
Remove the back and cut into pieces.
Slice the breast in half, or if extra large into smaller pieces and set these aside.

Brown the chicken.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large stockpot over high heat.
Sear all chicken pieces except the breast halves, until golden, about 5 minutes per side.
Transfer to a bowl.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces (leaving breast pieces aside for now), and add them to the bowl.

Build the flavor base.

Add onion to the empty pot that browned the chicken and sauté over medium-high, 2–3 minutes, until soft and lightly colored.
Return the browned chicken (minus breast halves) and any juices to the pot.
Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 minutes.

Simmer the soup.

Bring a kettle of water to boil.
Increase heat under the pot with chicken to high. Add boiling water, the reserved breast halves, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes.

Prepare the shredded chicken.

Remove all chicken pieces, allow to cool, discard skin and bones, and shred meat.
Strain the broth into a clean pot, discarding solids. Skim fat if desired.
Return shredded chicken to the broth and bring to a boil.

Finish the soup.

In a small skillet, sauté carrot and celery in 1 tablespoon oil.
Add to the pot along with noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve and enjoy.

Ladle into bowls and savor. Serves 6–8.

Notes

Browning matters: High heat is key for deep flavor. Use a splatter guard if your stovetop is sensitive.
Time-saving tip: Grab a rotisserie chicken, skip browning, and follow the rest of the instructions. Adjust seasonings to taste. Thanks, Linda R.!
Instant Pot caution: This recipe doesn’t convert well for pressure cooking.

Nutrition