Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is the one to make when you want something warming but light, using a single pan and ingredients from the fridge and cupboard. Small pieces of chicken breast poach gently in the broth, so they stay tender, while the carrots, celery and egg noodles turn it into a proper meal. This version makes four generous bowls of about 350ml each, with nothing more complicated than a bit of chopping.
- Total
- 40 min
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 300kcal
Getting the thickness of chicken noodle soup right
This is a brothy soup rather than a thick one, so it relies on a good stock. Make it with 1.2 litres, which gives four bowls of about 350ml once the noodles have soaked up their share. If you like it thicker, add a handful more noodles; if you prefer it lighter, add a splash of hot water at the end.
Cutting the vegetables small matters as much as the liquid. Thin coins of carrot and finely diced onion and celery soften in the 5–6 minutes of the first step and then finish cooking in the broth, so every spoonful has a bit of everything. Skinless chicken breast is lean, so poaching it in small pieces keeps it moist and means it cooks in about the same time as the broth needs to simmer.
How to prepare chicken noodle soup
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Soften the vegetables Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery and pepper and cook for , stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned.
- Add the chicken Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper, cut it into 2cm pieces and stir it into the pan with the salt. Cook for , stirring, until the outside of each piece turns white. It will not be cooked through yet.
- Simmer the broth Pour in the hot stock and bring it to the boil, which takes about . Turn the heat down so the surface just bubbles gently and simmer for . Skim off any foam that collects on top.
- Cook the noodles Add the noodles and simmer for , or for the time on the packet, until they are tender. Break open a piece of chicken to check it is white all the way through, steaming hot, with no pink and clear juices.
- Season and serve Taste the broth and add a little more pepper or a squeeze of lemon if it needs it. Ladle the soup into deep bowls, scatter over the parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.
What to serve with it
A slice of buttered crusty bread is all the soup needs. It makes a light lunch on its own, or a starter before something bigger. For another chicken supper later in the week, try chicken curry or chicken with cashew nuts.
Swaps and additions
Chicken thighs work in place of breast: use 450g boneless, skinless thighs and simmer them for 5 minutes longer. Leeks can replace the onion, and a handful of frozen peas or sweetcorn goes in with the noodles. Fresh thyme or a bay leaf in the broth adds a savoury background note, and a thumb-sized piece of grated ginger makes it brighter and warmer on a cold day.
Common problems and fixes for Chicken Noodle Soup
- The noodles go soft and swallow the broth.
- Noodles keep absorbing liquid for as long as they sit in the soup. Cook only as many as you will eat straight away, or boil them separately and add them to each bowl, then loosen the soup with a splash of stock if it thickens.
- The chicken is dry or rubbery.
- The broth was boiling too hard or the pieces were too big. Keep it at a gentle simmer and cut the chicken no larger than 2cm, so it cooks through in 10 minutes without toughening.
- The broth tastes flat.
- Low-salt stock needs seasoning at the end, once the noodles are in. Add black pepper and a squeeze of lemon a little at a time before reaching for more salt, as the salt in the stock is already part of the total.
Frequently asked questions about Chicken Noodle Soup
Can you freeze chicken noodle soup?
Yes, for up to 3 months, but freeze it without the noodles because they turn mushy when defrosted. Cool the soup quickly, then chill or freeze it. Defrost overnight in the fridge, bring it to the boil and add fresh noodles. In the fridge it keeps for up to 2 days.
What can I use instead of egg noodles?
Fine vermicelli, broken spaghetti or small soup pasta all work. Cook them for the time on the packet, and add a little extra stock if they soak up more liquid than the egg noodles.
Can I use leftover roast chicken?
Yes. Use about 300g of shredded cooked chicken, skip the chicken step and stir it in for the last 3 minutes of the noodle time, so it is steaming hot all the way through.
How long does it take to make chicken noodle soup?
About 40 minutes from start to finish: 10 minutes of chopping, then 30 minutes on the hob.
How did you like the recipe?
4.6 / 5 · 78 ratings
