Chicken Noodle Soup is one of the best homemade comfort foods in my opinion. Growing up, I can remember my mom got up early on some Saturdays and I’d smell chicken soup going in the kitchen when I got up. It’s one of my favorite memories!
I know every family has their own way of doing this, even mine varies a little bit from my mom’s version. It’s such an easy recipe to adapt that once you know your soup making basics it’s easy to doctor it however you want!
I like to start with the classic trio, onions, celery, and carrots, and a couple whole garlic cloves. And I start this out just like my vegetable stock (Recipe HERE). Add a little butter or olive oil into your pan and cook your veggies just a few minutes to soften them up and to get the nutrients to release.
Then add a little water to your pot, followed by adding your chicken. Personally I like using dark meat only. I just feel it has more flavor and it’s more cost effective. Also, I know a lot of people like to roast their chicken in the oven first, but again, I have found for me, the broth has more flavor to cook the chicken directly in the pot. SO, once you’ve added your chicken, add more water, enough to fill your pot or cover your chicken. Add in any preferred seasonings you have. I like whole peppercorns, salt, and a few bay leaves.
Cover and simmer until the chicken is falling off the bone (1.5-2 hours)
Once that is finished, turn off your stove. Remove the chicken and set aside in a bowl and let it cool. Discard the veggies and spices. You’ve gotten everything out of them that you possibly can.
For this next part I like to use a gravy separator and a mesh strainer (I found mine at William’s Sonoma, it’s a strainer on top, and it’s made of glass and has laster FAR longer than any of its predecessors). If you don’t have one, you can also use cheese cloth to catch excess fat and particles – this is the way my mom still does hers. Strain all that stuff out and return the broth to the pot. Cover until you’re ready to finish up.
When the chicken is cooled, shred it and remove the bones, cartilage and skin
Chop up some fresh celery and carrots. Add the chicken and veggies into the pot and bring the broth to a gentle boil, adjust the seasoning as needed. I like a brothy soup so I usually add a few extra cups of bone broth which I ALWAYS have in my freezer (RECIPE HERE) or you can also add low sodium chicken broth
After a few minutes add in egg noodles and let them boil according to package directions.
**FOR GLUTEN FREE** you can make this with rice instead of noodles, just throw the rice in earlier than the veggies because they take longer to cook. Or, while I can’t recommend a brand because I’ve never personally tried them, I know there are gluten free egg noodles out there.
Voila! Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- For the broth:
- 1 Tb olive oil or butter
- 3-4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3-4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 1 large yellow or white onion roughly chopped
- 3 whole garlic cloves, peeled
- tsp whole black peppercorns
- tsp salt
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 3 (or more) lb bone in chicken
- water
- For the Soup
- Homemade broth
- if desired additional broth
- 2-3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
- chicken, from the broth, cooked and shredded
- Egg Noodles OR Rice - desired amount
- salt and pepper - to taste
- parsley (optional)
Instructions
- In a soup pot heated to medium heat, add butter or oil, onion, celery, carrots, and garlic cloves, and cook for 4-5 minutes until veggies soften slightly.
- Add chicken to the pot and fill your pot with water, chicken should be covered with water.
- Add salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves. Bring pot to a gentle boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1.5-2 hours or until the chicken is starting to fall off the bones
- Turn off the heat, remove the chicken and set aside. Let cool completely. Discard vegetables and spices.
- Using either cheesecloth, or a fine mesh strainer, strain broth of fat and particles and return to the pot. Cover and let it sit until you're ready to finish.
- When the chicken is cooled, shred the meat and discard the bones, cartilage, and skin. Add meat to the broth
- Chop the remaining celery and carrots and add them to the strained broth a well, bring to a gentle simmer.
- if using rice add the rice at the same time you add your chicken and vegetables
- if using egg noodles wait for the chicken and veggies to simmer for 5-10 minutes before you add your noodles. cook according to package instructions.
- Adjust seasoning as necessary, and if desired, add parsley.
- Enjoy!!
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