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The classic chicken soup just leveled up with this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup recipe. It’s an easy meal that’s all about cozy vibes, filling your belly, and warming you up from head to toe!
Soup is a universal comfort food, and there’s something inherently nourishing about a bowl filled with tender chicken, hearty veggies, and wholesome noodles. It’s the sort of dish I often find myself craving, especially during these chilly Indiana days when warmth and comfort are in high demand. However, this classic noodle soup is elevated with a creamy, luscious base that combines perfectly with the noodles, carrots, celery, and chicken. I assure you, one taste and you’ll find excuses to make it throughout the entire year.
Why We Love This Chicken Soup Recipe
- Ultimate Comfort: This soup is rich and creamy with chicken, noodles, veggies, and cream.
- Flavor: The mix of herbs, spices, and cream, transforms the broth into a velvety, rich deliciousness.
- Easy: Despite its luxurious taste, this soup is easy to make. The process is as simple as sautéing veggies, adding in the herbs and chicken, and then letting the soup simmer.
- Nutritious: The veggies offer essential vitamins, the chicken packs in protein, and the cream provides that comfort without going overboard.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Butter: For sauteing and adding a little flavor. You could also use olive oil.
- Onion: Dice up a yellow onion.
- Carrots and Celery: I like these thinly sliced, or you could dice them, whichever you prefer.
- Parsley: Chopped fresh, or use some dried parsley.
- Garlic: Minced or pressed fresh garlic cloves are my favorite. But garlic powder would work in a pinch!
- Flour: A small amount of flour helps thicken the soup.
- Salt, Pepper, and Dried Herbs: You can use any herbs that you like. I go with oregano, thyme, and bay leaves. Basil, sage, dill, and other dried green herbs work well, too.
- Broth: Typically, I use low-sodium chicken broth, but you can use bone broth or even vegetable broth.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are my go-to.
- Milk and Cream: Feel free to substitute half and half for the cream.
- Noodles: Dry egg noodles are great in chicken noodle soup, but broken-up fettuccine or linguine would be delicious, too!
How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
While some soup recipes take a long time to put together, this one is actually pretty quick! Here’s how to make it, step by step.
- Saute the Vegetables, Flour, and Seasonings. Set a heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Then, saute the onions, carrots, celery, and parsley for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then stir in the flour and seasonings. Cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the Broth, Chicken, and Bay Leaves. Stir in the chicken broth, and scrape up any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Toss in the bay leaves, add the chicken breasts, and simmer for about 25 minutes with the lid partially covering the pot.
- Shred the Chicken. At this point, the chicken should be fully cooked. Take it out of the pot and cut it in half – if there’s no pink inside, let it cool on a cutting board for a few minutes, and then shred it with two forks or meat claws. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.
- Finish the Dish. Last, you’ll need to stir in your milk and cream, along with the noodles. Increase the heat so that the soup boils for about 7 minutes, until the noodles are cooked. Remove the bay leaves and toss them. Taste for salt and pepper, adding more if needed.
Recipe Tips And Variations
- Chicken: I used chicken breasts, but chicken thighs are extra moist and work very well in this recipe. Using boneless, skinless thighs, you can follow the recipe just as it’s written.
- Instant Read Thermometer: To make sure the chicken is cooked through, you should always use a meat thermometer because they give a quick digital read-out. Chicken is done at 165°F.
- Noodle Options: Egg noodles are great, but don’t hesitate to swap any pasta that you like. Some will take longer to cook than others, so be sure to check the package to see how long you need to boil them. You can also swap diced potatoes or rice for the noodles, carb-free noodles, too, just remember that these alternatives might affect the soup’s texture.
- Add Veggies: This soup is great with extra veggies, too. Green beans, broccoli, peas, cauliflower, and corn are all great ideas.
Serving Suggestions
Almost anything goes with this creamy chicken noodle soup. A fluffy Garlic and Cheddar Drop Biscuits would be just right! You could also serve it with grilled cheese – try a Ham and Apple Grilled Cheese – it’s SO good! Take a page from your favorite bistro’s book and serve this creamy soup with a crisp salad! Apples and Cheddar Chicken Salad is great, and so is my Brussel Sprouts Salad.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and keep it refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. This soup does not freeze well because of the noodles and cream. Leave those out of the batch if you intend to freeze it.
- I recommend reheating it over medium heat, stirring now and then, until it’s piping hot all the way through.
Comforting Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken
- Italian Sausage Soup with Kale and Beans
- Slow Cooker French Onion Soup
- Tom Yum Noodle Soup
- Chicken Pozole Verde
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup takes comfort to the next level. It’s rich, creamy, and filled with tender chicken, soft noodles, and perfectly cooked veggies.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion,, diced
- 2 large carrots,, thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks,, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt,, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper,, or to taste
- 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups milk
- 1½ cups heavy cream,, or half and half
- 10 ounces dry egg noodles
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven or large pot set over medium heat. Add in the diced onions, carrots, celery, and parsley; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic; cook for 20 seconds.
- Add in the flour, salt, oregano, thyme, and black pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add in the bay leaves and chicken breasts, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a steady simmer; partially cover with a lid and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.
- Remove the cooked chicken breasts from the soup and transfer them to a cutting board; let cool for a couple of minutes, then shred the meat. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the milk, heavy cream, and noodles; bring to a steady boil and cook for about 7 minutes or until noodles are cooked al dente.
- Remove from heat and discard the bay leaves.
- Taste the soup for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.
- Ladle into bowls and serve.
Notes
- Use Chicken Thighs: For a juicier twist, try chicken thighs instead of breasts. They’re tender and follow the same cooking steps.
- Doneness Check: Ensure your chicken is perfectly cooked with an instant-read thermometer. It offers a speedy digital result, signaling it’s ready at 165°F.
- Pasta or Not: While egg noodles are a classic choice, feel free to mix it up with other kinds of pasta, rice, or diced potatoes. Different cooking times may apply, and textures may vary slightly.
- Veggie Boost: Add more veggies like green beans, peas, or broccoli. It’s a tasty way to sneak in extra greens and flavors!
Nutrition
Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 105mg | Sodium: 266mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2911IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 118mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Did you make a recipe? Leave a rating
that was awesome
thanks so much
Donny
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is exactly what I’ve been craving for! Need to make it soon!
I hope you’ll love it! Thank YOU! 🙂
I am drooling over this soup! It looks so inviting!
Thank YOU! I hope you’ll enjoy it! 🙂
Looks incredibly delicious! My family would definitely love this!
I have been looking for a new chicken noodle soup recipe and this one will do perfectly!