Chicken Noodle Soup
Soup for the Soul
Ready for the best chicken noodle soup you’ve ever had? Seriously. This recipe includes a quick and easy “double” chicken stock, which happens when you cook raw chicken in chicken broth. We also add some secret flavor agents and finish it with rich egg noodles. What could be better?
Last week I was craving this ferociously. Back when we survived Snovid 2021 and we were so cold that we sat in the car with the heater on (don’t worry, we were in the driveway). We couldn’t call friends to ask if they had power because our phones wouldn’t work (no cellular or wifi!). We couldn’t drive around because Houston isn’t equipped to clear roads or throw down ice melt. Plus, our driveway gate was frozen shut, so there’s that.
Back to the chicken soup. Serving size is always a struggle for me. Do you have teenagers in your house? Do you have a boy going through a growth spurt who eats 11 times a day? It’s all relative. I opted for 6 servings, but if you have leftovers just freeze them! Noodles aren’t the best thing to freeze because they absorb extra liquid when reheated, but I don’t really mind.
If you’re using store-bought chicken stock for this, I have a tip for you. Costco sells great organic chicken stock! It’s Kirkland brand and one of those items that are always in my pantry. I also have frozen homemade stock. I haven’t ever shared my recipe here (I teach in a 6-week basics course).
Please make this chicken noodle soup and tell me what you think. It’s a combination of a few techniques I learned in cooking school and flavor profiles I enjoy (spoiler alert: ginger and tamari). I don’t use words like “the best” very often in my recipes and food writing, it drives me crazy when I see that all over the internet. According to whom? The writer? Well I should hope so! But I do think this is one of the most flavorful chicken soup recipes out there, and I can promise you it’s not boring!
How do you add flavor to chicken noodle soup?
Fresh herbs like oregano, thyme, chives and parsley liven things up. You can also toss a sprig of rosemary or thyme into the pot while you reheat leftover soup, just remove before serving. But my biggest tip is adding a dash of sriracha or Tabasco to punch up the flavor of chicken soup. You won’t even taste it! It just adds some zing. Tamari or soy sauce work in the same way, they’re an umami secret weapon. But a dash goes a long way!
What can I serve with chicken soup?
What can’t you serve with chicken soup? I just warm crusty bread with olive oil and crunchy sea salt, but Saltines even buttered toast works in a pinch.
Can you put raw chicken in soup?
Yes! It’s a great way to cook your chicken for soup because it adds extra flavor to the base.
How can I make this gluten-free?
To keep this recipe gluten-free, I substitute two cups of cooked rice. I love adding the pre-cooked jasmine rice found in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s. Or you can add two cups of cauliflower rice when you add the cooked chicken and parsley.
Can I make slow cooker chicken noodle soup?
Yes, but if you need to be hands-off, use rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken breasts and omit the water. If you can saute the onion, carrot, and celery in the base of your slow cooker, it will add a deeper flavor. If you’re using pre-cooked chicken, add all the ingredients and cook on low for 6-7 hours or high for 4-5. You can also add 4-5 uncooked boneless chicken thighs to the slow cooker and cook them directly in the broth with the remaining ingredients (except the water). The cooking time will be the same. I’d add the noodles 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve the soup or cook and serve them on the side! Be sure to remove the sprigs of oregano and thyme and bay leaves before serving.
Looking for more soup recipes?
Corn Chowder with Roasted Poblanos, Chunky Potatoes, and Yellow Squash
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 3 cups water
- 4 bone-in chicken breasts (5 bone-in thighs work well too)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme, plus 1 teaspoon minced thyme reserved
- 3 sprigs oregano
- 1 yellow onion, diced white is fine too
- 4 carrots, diced
- 4 celery stalks, diced
- 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated on a Microplane, about one heaping tablespoon
- 2 teaspoons tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon sriracha
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 2 teaspoons minced Italian parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or more to taste
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, add the chicken stock, water, raw chicken, bay leaves, thyme, and oregano. Bring to a low boil over high heat and skim off any foam that rises to the top. Cook for 20 minutes, covered, or until chicken is cooked through. It’s important to keep this covered as much as possible, you don’t want too much liquid to evaporate.
- When chicken is done, transfer it from the pot to a rimmed cutting board and let rest until cool enough to handle. Discard skin, shred meat, and de-bone. (Tip: Reserve the bones to make stock! Either store them in the freezer to deal with later, or cover the bones with water in a medium-size pot and make a quick stock now. Add aromatics, such as half an onions or leek greens, carrot, and celery.)
- Bring the soup base up to medium heat and remove the bay leaves and herb sprigs. Add onion, carrot, and celery to the broth and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add ginger, tamari, and sriracha and stir. Add noodles, cover, and simmer for 8-10 minutes, according to package directions. Make sure the noodles are covered with liquid, if necessary, add more stock or water to cover them.
- Add the shredded chicken, parsley and salt and pepper to the soup pot. Taste for seasoning; add more salt and pepper if necessary.
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