There’s nothing like a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup to warm the soul on a cold winter night. Not to mention, chicken noodle soup can benefit your body as well!
Homemade versions of this soup contain lots of vitamins and minerals from the various vegetables and broth in the dish, and if you have a cold, chicken noodle soup can boost your immune system. In addition to the health benefits and warmth that this dish provides, it also doesn’t take a lot of effort to prepare.
Of course, picking up a can of soup from the store is by far the easiest option, but canned soups usually have a mountain of salt and other unhealthy preservatives in them. You’ll feel better knowing you made this dish yourself since you can control what you put in the dish.
This “Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup” recipe on the site Taste of Home got over 1 million views, which shows how many people enjoyed this recipe. It’s the third most viewed recipe on the site, so you know it’s good.
What makes this chicken soup recipe so special, you ask? Well, the bone-in chicken thighs cooked in canola oil add rich flavor to the broth, and the garlic, onions, carrots, and celery add texture and antioxidants. The recipe calls for cooking the thighs in the broth until they’re juicy and tender, which ensures maximum flavor as well.
Prepping this recipe only takes 15 minutes, and cooking time is 45 minutes (plus cooling time). The recipe makes ten servings (3 1/2 quarts). We’ll go over the steps for making this delicious chicken noodle soup below!
Chicken noodle soup recipe:
Ingredients
- 2-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 1-1/4 teaspoons pepper, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups (about 8 ounces) of egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
1. First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and salt. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat the canola oil on medium-high. Add the chicken slowly with the skin down, and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Take the chicken out of the pan and remove the skin. Save two tablespoons of the drippings and throw out the rest (or save for another dish!)
2. Add onion to drippings, cooking and stirring it for 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then, add the broth and bring it to a boil. Put the chicken back in the pan and add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot to let the chicken cook until tender, or about 25-30 minutes.
3. Put the chicken on a separate plate and remove the soup from the heat. Add the noodles and let stand, covered, for 20-22 minutes.
4. When the chicken has cooled, take out the bones and discard them. Shred the meat and return it to the stockpot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. Remove the bay leaves and adjust the salt and pepper as necessary.
Remember to save the veggie scraps and chicken bones so you can make broth for another soup!
Nutrition Facts:
1-1/3 cups: 239 calories, 12g fat (3g saturated fat), 68mg cholesterol, 1176mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 18g protein
If you make this recipe, let us know how you enjoyed your homemade chicken noodle soup in the comments below!