Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Do you tend to eat out all the time and feel like you are just not capable of making good comforting food? You can do this!! This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is so easy my 9-year-old could make it, and so can you.

Chicken noodle soup has long been a comfort food, especially when we’re feeling under the weather, but it also offers several health benefits such as: 

 Nutrient-Rich:

Chicken is a good source of lean protein, which is essential for tissue repair and immune function. It also provides B vitamins (especially niacin and B6), which support energy production and immune health. 

Vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Carrots, for example, offer beta-carotene (a precursor to vitamin A), which supports vision and immune function.

Immune Support:

The amino acids in chicken—especially cysteine—help thin mucus in the lungs and make it easier to expel. This can be beneficial if you have a cold or respiratory issues.

Anti-Inflammatory:

Ingredients like garlic, ginger, and onions may have mild anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects.

 

 

Why Is Chicken Noodle Soup Good for Our Bodies?

 

Beyond the physical nutrients, chicken noodle soup has emotional comfort, which can be part of its healing properties. Warm, homemade food can trigger the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), helping the body relax and heal.

Chicken noodle soup offers a good balance of protein (chicken), fats (from broth, potentially), and micronutrients (from vegetables), which makes it a well-rounded and easy-to-digest meal.

The collagen and gelatin found in chicken (and especially in homemade bone broth) help support digestive health, promoting gut healing and soothing irritated intestines.

 

 

How to Find a Good Bone Broth

 

Bone broth is a key component of many homemade soups, including chicken noodle soup, and its health benefits are widely recognized. Bone broth is rich in collagen, amino acids (like glycine and proline), and minerals, which can support joints, skin, and gut health. Here’s how to find a good quality bone broth:

Look for High-Quality Ingredients:

Choose broth made from grass-fed, pasture-raised or free-range chicken if possible. These chickens will produce better-quality collagen and amino acids.

When making your broth, be sure to include bones, cartilage, and connective tissues from the chicken and let it simmer for 12-24 hours.  This will help it contain a variety of essential nutrients and amino acids.

No Added Sugar or Preservatives:

Check the label for any hidden additives or excess sodium. The best bone broths have simple, natural ingredients like bones, vegetables, and herbs.

 

Choose Broths Made Using Slow-Cooking:

A good bone broth is often slow-simmered for 12-24 hours. This process extracts more nutrients from the bones and maximizes the collagen content.  If you’re making it yourself, slow-cook the broth using a slow cooker or stovetop, keeping it at a low simmer to extract the maximum nutrients.

 

Look for Collagen-Rich Broth:

Bone broth should gel when cooled, which indicates the presence of collagen. If the broth does not gel, it might not be made from bones with a good amount of connective tissue.

 

Grass-Fed/Organic:

Opt for organic bone broths or those from grass-fed animals, which have a better nutrient profile. These animals are often healthier and less likely to contain harmful chemicals or hormones.

 

Consider Homemade:

Making your bone broth is the best way to ensure high quality and control over the ingredients. Use leftover chicken carcasses or bones from a roast, simmer them with water, and add vegetables, herbs, and spices for flavor.

 

Ready-Made Broths:

If buying pre-made, look for brands with minimal processing and no artificial flavorings. Popular quality brands like Kettle & Fire, Bonafide Provisions, and Bare Bones offer high-quality, shelf-stable bone broths.

 

Why You Will Love This Recipe

 

This recipe is a creation that has had many versions tested throughout the years. The original probably came from some college cookbook I got when I left home at 18 and got morphed with my mom’s recipe.

Delicious

If you’ve never had it before, you honestly don’t know what you’re missing. I have had Campbell’s before, and let me tell you, it tasted like garbage after I made this.

 

Easy

This recipe is so quick and easy, whipped up in as little as an hour.

 

Great for Guests

This soup will taste like home. It is the perfect meal to serve to friends, family, or even those picky kiddos.

 

When you’ve had a mom who makes things from scratch, packaged food gets old fast. Sometimes you just want an easy recipe anyone can throw together. So let’s get started, here’s how to make homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch!

 

What You Will Need

 

-Large Stock Pot

-Soup ladle or large spoon

-Chopping knife

-Cutting board

 

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

 

One Whole Chicken

You have 2 options here.  You can cook your own chicken, on a stove or crockpot.  Or you can buy a rotisserie chicken from a local grocer. 

Both options lead to perfect tenderness and make a HUGE difference in the texture and flavor of this recipe.

 

Celery

You will need 2-3 whole sticks.

 

Carrots

Organic ones are best, you’ll need 2 to 3 of these as well.

 

Yellow Onion

I use about half of a large one.

 

Fresh Parsley

One bunch is plenty, you will need about half of it.

 

Chicken Bone Broth

You can buy organic chicken broth at the store or you can make your own. I will post a recipe for that soon. Until then, this recipe from Farmhouse on Boone is awesome for making your own broth.   As I mentioned above, Kettle & Fire, Bonafide Provisions, and Bare Bones are all great options for store bought chicken broth. 

 

Soup Noodles

I like the smaller Amish noodles. They are called Amish wedding kluski noodles. There are many different kinds though and regular egg noodles can work just as well and are easily found at your local grocer.

 

How to Make Delicious Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

 

• Gather all of your ingredients including that yummy bone broth. 

 

• Shred your chicken.  If you cooked your own, this would be a great time to leave the rest of the chicken in the crockpot, add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, and fill it with water to make your broth.
  • Simmer overnight and you’ve got delicious chicken bone broth.  If you bought a rotisserie, take it out of the package and let it cool a bit then take the meat off the bones. 
  • Be careful not to burn yourself as these chickens can be very hot! 
  • Also, I highly recommend doing this when it’s still warm. Don’t wait until it’s cold because it will be so much harder to do and the meat will be like saran wrap around the bones.

 

• Cut up all the chicken pieces into one-inch chunks, something you could easily eat in one bite, and set aside.

 

• Cut up all your veggies. I tend to cut mine pretty small, the onions at least, because the kids like it that way, but using a chopper is just fine too!

 

• Put the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic into the stock pot with 1-2 cups of chicken broth and bring it to a low boil. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.

 

• Add in the rest of the broth, the chicken, salt, pepper, and the parsley. Let this cook for 10-15 minutes on a low simmer.

 

• Finally, add your noodles. Be careful not to add too many or you’ll have chicken soup pasta. They expand remember so it won’t look like much but will be plenty once they are cooked.

 

• Bring the entire pot back up to a low boil and cook for 10-15 more minutes or until the noodles are tender.

 

• Now you are ready to serve! I love this meal because it can be stretched over a few days or done all in one. It also is very simple and so easy that anyone could make it.

 

Storage

 

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I just recently froze some leftover soup before we went on vacation, I’ll let you know how that turns out!

 

FAQ

 

Can I make this with canned chicken?

You can. But, the flavor will be way different and not as nearly as good. I personally never use canned chicken, it just grosses me out. I would not skimp on the rotisserie chicken step.

 

Is there a way to make this gluten-free?

The only gluten is in the noodles obviously, and I’ve never tried it with gluten-free noodles. Honestly, I think the consistency would ruin the soup, as gluten-free noodles are a lot different than regular ones. If I wanted a gluten-free version I would just omit the noodles completely, and add more veggies and possibly potatoes.