Description
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender chicken, wide egg noodles, and a rich, flavorful broth thickened with flour and enriched with half-and-half. Loaded with vegetables like carrots, celery, onion, and potatoes, it’s perfect for a cozy meal that’s easy to make and delicious to enjoy.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter (14g)
- 3/4 cup chopped yellow onion (100g, about 1/2 of a large onion)
- 1 cup sliced or diced carrots (120g, 1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
- 1 cup sliced or diced celery (120g, 2–3 stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (31g, spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
- 8 cups chicken broth (1.92 liters, reduced sodium recommended)
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (around 1 and 1/2 cups or 280g)
Protein and Dairy
- 2 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken (about 250g)
- 1 cup half-and-half or whole milk (240ml)
Pasta
- 3–4 cups uncooked wide egg noodles (112-150g, or other dry pasta)
Optional Garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Cook while stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened.
- Create the Roux: Stir in the all-purpose flour, salt, pepper, dried thyme, and oregano. Cook the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to form a roux that will thicken the soup.
- Add Broth and Potato: Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced potato. Stir everything to combine, then increase the heat to medium-high.
- Boil and Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil without stirring and let it boil for 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover the pot partially, and let it simmer gently for 25 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
- Add Chicken and Dairy: Add the shredded cooked chicken and pour in the half-and-half or whole milk. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Cook Noodles: Add the uncooked wide egg noodles to the pot. Continue cooking for 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and the soup thickens. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Final Seasoning and Serve: Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired. Serve warm, garnished optionally with fresh thyme leaves.
- Storage and Reheating: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding extra chicken broth if the soup is too thick.
Notes
- Freeze the soup for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat on the stove.
- Use a 4-quart or larger Dutch oven for best results.
- For slow cooker method, prepare the vegetables and roux on the stovetop, transfer to slow cooker, add broth and potato, cook on low for 2 hours. Then add chicken, dairy, and noodles and cook 1 more hour on low.
- Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice during the last minutes of cooking to brighten flavor.
- For thickening, you can substitute 2 Tablespoons cornstarch instead of 1/4 cup flour.
- Use oregano and thyme for herbs or substitute with 1.5 to 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning.
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control salt intake; adjust salt accordingly if using regular broth.
- Rotisserie chicken works well, or roast/boil chicken breasts then shred or chop.
- Half-and-half or whole milk is preferred; avoid lower-fat milks. Plain oat milk or almond milk can be used as nondairy options but result in less creamy soup.
- If using 1/2 cup heavy cream instead of dairy, add an extra 1/2 cup chicken broth to maintain consistency.
- Wide egg noodles are ideal; substitutes include elbow macaroni, fettuccine (broken), tortellini, or 1 cup uncooked rice (add with noodles).
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 230 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
