Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup is the recipe you make on a random Tuesday when you need dinner on the table fast. It’s not the one you have to save for a weekend project because you’re starting with an entire bird in the stock pot. It’s easy enough for beginners and classic enough everyone will appreciate it. Plus those leftovers all soaked up with savory chicken broth make the best leftover lunches!
Some nights call for the low-effort version of a classic, and this is it. This is an easy yet classic version of chicken noodle soup. Built on the basics of chopped carrots, celery, and onion it layers in leftover chicken, premade broth and a few pantry staples like poultry seasoning and nutmeg for a simple soup that works for dinner or lunch or leftovers.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients
The broth is doing most of the flavor work in this recipe, so use the best canned broth you can find. Or use for homemade chicken broth or bone broth if you have it on hand.
- chopped carrots
- chopped celery
- chopped onion
- garlic powder
- chicken broth or bone broth, bouillon cubes, or whatever chicken-y broth-y stuff you have on hand
- poultry seasoning, you can use Italian seasoning here if that’s what you have, they’re very similar
- chopped leftover chicken, shredded or chopped
- egg noodles
- nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
Italian seasoning and poultry seasoning are very similar. You can often swap one for the other. The major difference is that poultry seasoning has sage while Italian seasoning doesn’t, most of the other herbs in most cases are the same.
Obviously everyone makes these seasoning mixes differently so just be aware that you can swap them but they will taste a little different, in the packaging and the final product.
Add Some Flair To This Basic Recipe
This is the ultimate basic recipe, a starter recipe if you will, mostly for my kids heading off to University in the fall. I wanted them to have a basic recipe to riff off. But then I realized maybe everyone wants or needs a basic recipe.
To make this your way consider adding:
- A squeeze of lemon juice or a handful of chopped fresh parsley at the end for brightness. I like to stir in Thai curry paste for a nice punchy kick.
- ANY kind of pasta you like or have on hand, just adjust the cooking time as desired. Or add some rice instead of pasta.
- A bay leaf while it simmers adds extra depth without much effort. I know people don’t think they add a lot, but they do bolster flavor.
- Frozen peas or corn during the last few minutes of cooking for an extra veg filled soup. Or if you have frozen spinach is great in here as well.
Got Leftovers?
Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep in mind the noodles will continue to soak up broth as it sits, so the soup will thicken over time, just add a splash of extra broth or water when reheating if needed. We like it when the noodles are soaked with broth.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 8 oz egg noodles
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in a dutch oven
- Add the chopped onion, celery, carrot to the pan
- Add the 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp poultry seasoning and garlic powder
- cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add the chicken broth, shredded chicken, egg noodles, and a 1/2 tsp black pepper, bring to a simmer
- While it comes to a simmer stir the soup and taste for salt and poultry seasoning, add more if you need it
- Bring to a simmer right below a boil
- Let the soup cook at a simmer until the noodles are just tender getting tender, about 7 minutes, the noodles will finish cooking as they wait to be served
- to finish the soup: grate in some nutmeg, taste for salt and pepper and add more as needed
