Description
A comforting and classic homemade chicken noodle soup made with fresh vegetables, tender shredded chicken, and wide egg noodles simmered in a flavorful chicken broth, perfect for a cozy meal.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 large yellow onion (about 2 cups diced)
- 3 medium carrots (about 1 3/4 cups sliced into 1/2-inch rounds)
- 3 medium stalks celery (about 1 1/4 cups sliced into 1/2-inch pieces)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
- 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons low-sodium chicken broth (about 8 cups)
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 dried bay leaves
Protein and Pasta
- 1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) rotisserie chicken, or about 1 pound cooked, boneless chicken, shredded (about 3 cups)
- 6 ounces dried extra-wide egg noodles (about 3 1/4 cups)
Finishing Touches
- 1/2 medium bunch fresh parsley or dill, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/2 large lemon (optional, for 2 tablespoons juice)
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Dice the onion, peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery, and mince the garlic cloves. Combine all chopped vegetables in a large bowl to keep them ready.
- Sauté the vegetables: Melt the butter or heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, celery, minced garlic, kosher salt, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Add broth and herbs: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth, then add the fresh thyme sprigs and dried bay leaves. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil.
- Prepare the chicken: While the broth is heating, use two forks to shred the rotisserie chicken or cooked boneless chicken into bite-sized pieces, measuring about 3 cups.
- Add chicken and noodles: Stir the shredded chicken and dried egg noodles into the boiling soup. Then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Cook the noodles: Simmer until the noodles are just shy of al dente, about 6 to 7 minutes, which is roughly one minute less than the package instructions.
- Prepare herbs and finish soup: Remove and discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Finely chop the parsley or dill, then add it to the soup. If using lemon, squeeze the juice of half a large lemon (about 2 tablespoons) into the soup and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional kosher salt if needed.
Notes
- You can substitute dried noodles with fresh egg noodles for a softer texture and reduce cooking time accordingly.
- The rotisserie chicken adds great flavor and convenience, but leftover cooked chicken also works well.
- For a lower fat option, use olive oil instead of butter.
- If you prefer a clearer broth, strain the broth before adding vegetables and chicken.
- Add more fresh herbs such as thyme or dill according to your taste preference for added freshness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 170 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
