Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
This creamy chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food. Made from scratch, it's ready from start to finish in about an hour.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 268kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter 14g
- 1 heaping cup diced yellow onions 150g / about 1 medium onion
- 1 cup sliced carrots 140g / 4 medium carrots
- 1 cup diced celery 140g / 3 ribs
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour 30g
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme or 3 teaspoons fresh
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 - 6 cups chicken stock *see note
- 3 cups cooked chicken diced or shredded
- ½ cup corn 75g / frozen, canned, or fresh
- 1 cup green beans 130g / cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1 cup half and half, or whole milk 240mL
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill chopped, optional
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley chopped, optional
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, melt butter. Then add onion, carrots, and celery. Sweat the vegetables for 5 - 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften. Add garlic and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables. Then add salt, pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaves. Stir to combine, making sure the flour coats the vegetables. Cook for a minute or two.
- Add chicken stock, increase heat to medium high. Give it a good stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any flour that may have stuck. Reduce heat to medium low, and cover the pot with a lid slightly ajar to allow some steam to escape. Simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. *Keep on eye on the pot. If it begins to boil, reduce the heat - you want a gentle simmer.
- Remove lid from the pot, and add chicken, corn, green beans, and noodles. Simmer for an additional 8 - 10 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
- Turn off the heat, and add half and half (or milk). Stir to combine, and taste to adjust seasonings, if needed. Garnish with fresh dill and/or fresh parsley if desired, before serving.
Notes
- Equipment suggestion: I used a 7 quart Dutch oven for this recipe - you'll need a large pot (at least 4 quarts). This 6 quart Dutch oven is very versatile.
- To reheat the soup: Heat in a pot on the stovetop over medium low heat until warm. You may need a bit of stock to thin the soup.
- Keep in mind that the noodles will absorb some of the broth, and you will need a splash of stock to loosen it up when reheating.
- For the cooked chicken in the soup, a rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut for this recipe.
- To cook the chicken in the soup, season 2 chicken breasts with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Brown the chicken over medium heat for about 8 minutes. Remove from the pan, and let it cool slightly before dicing to add to the soup. The chicken will finish cooking in the soup.
- If you like a thicker soup, start with 4 cups of chicken stock. If you prefer a soup with a bit more liquid, use 6 cups of stock.
- I prefer extra wide egg noodles for this soup, but any small pasta will do. Ditalini, elbows, orzo, and small shells are all good options.
- If you are out of chicken stock, you can use "Better than Bouillon" mixed with water.
Nutrition
Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 268kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 562mg | Potassium: 479mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3117IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg