Classic Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my all-time favorite soups, perfect for sick days and cold nights. It is a soup that comes together quickly, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights. If you have the extra time or can plan accordingly, making this soup with a homemade chicken broth takes it to the next level!

a bowl of chicken noodle soup with fresh parsley, parmesan, and lemon juice

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My girlfriend was sick last weekend, so I took it as an opportunity to make one of my favorite soups–a classic chicken noodle! I started by making a homemade chicken broth (my family’s recipe!) which really gives this soup SO much flavor. If I wasn’t so exhausted taking care of my sick girlfriend and tending to the mess in the kitchen that I made while making broth, I would have also made some homemade noodles cut short to add to the soup. But Meg had also requested egg noodles, so the queen gets what she wants!

Everyone seems to have their own recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup. Mine is a low-fuss recipe with classic ingredients that’s easy to make and it will taste delicious whether you’re using homemade broth or store-bought stock.

Easy Classic Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

You can make this easy classic chicken noodle soup recipe with store-bought broth or stock, or homemade broth. You can make it with shredded rotisserie chicken, or the poached chicken from my homemade broth recipe. No matter how you make it, you’ll end up with a delicious, flavorful, super easy-to-make soup that feels like a warm hug from the inside.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s full of flavor. Especially if you use a homemade broth. But no matter what broth you use, the mire poix (carrot, onion, celery) and garlic create such a flavorful and aromatic base for this soup!
It’s fast and easy to make. If you prepare your shredded chicken and broth ahead of time, all you need is a couple minutes to chop your vegetables, less than 10 minutes to cook them, another 10 minutes to bring the soup to a boil, and a few more minutes to cook the noodles. That means this one-pot dinner is on the table in under 30 minutes!
It’s comfort in a bowl. Make this soup for cozy winter nights, snow days in, or sick days. It’ll warm you up quickly and it’s just what the doctor ordered!
It’s nutritious and filling. Packed with vegetables, a collagen-rich broth, protein from the chicken, and hearty noodles, this balanced meal is nutritious and delicious!
It’s a classic. Nothing beats a tried-and-true recipe! This is one of those recipe staples you’ll keep in your back pocket forever.

Ingredients for Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken broth. You can use store-bought chicken broth or stock for this recipe, but I highly recommend you follow my family’s homemade broth recipe!
Shredded chicken. You can buy a rotisserie chicken at the store, and some stores often sell shredded rotisserie chicken to take the work out of it for you! I used the poached whole chicken that I made in my homemade broth.
Mire poix. This is a fancy way of saying “carrot, onion, celery.” It’s what adds a ton of flavor to a soup!
Garlic. As much as you want, baby!
Lemon juice. I love to add a squeeze of lemon juice to my bowl of soup for an acidic kick.
Parsley. Parsley adds so much freshness and brightness to a finished soup!
Parmesan. Totally optional, but I can’t go without adding freshly grated parmesan to my big bowl of soup.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup

The recipe card with all of the measurements and full details is at the bottom of this post, but here’s a brief overview (with photos) of the cooking process!

Cook your mirepoix. Add butter or oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Cook the carrot, onion, and celery for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then add garlic and cook for another minute.
Add chicken broth. Pour in the chicken broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Season with salt and pepper. Taste the soup and add what you need, whether it’s dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, or crushed red pepper, or you can add a bouillon cube or granules. Bring the broth to a boil.
Add pasta and chicken. Add your favorite soup noodles (I used egg noodles) and cook just until noodles are al dente.
Serve the soup. Ladle some soup into a bowl and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Top with fresh parsley and freshly grated parmesan and enjoy!

carrot, onion, and celery cooking in a pot — Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat, then heat olive oil. Add carrot, onion, and celery and cook for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

carrot, onion, celery, and garlic cooking in a pot — Add garlic and cook for another minute, stirring often and cooking until fragrant.

chicken broth pouring into a pot with carrot, onion, celery, and garlic — Pour in chicken broth and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil.

shredded chicken going into a pot of chicken broth, carrot, onion, and celery — Add shredded chicken to the pot.

egg noodles going into a pot with chicken broth, carrot, onion, celery, and shredded chicken to make chicken noodle soup — Add egg noodles and cook according to package instructions until egg noodle are al dente.

a close up of a bowl of chicken noodle soup — Serve the soup with a squeeze of lemon juice, freshly grated parmesan, and fresh parsley.

Recipe Variations and Substitutions

Make it vegetarian or vegan. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth and leave out the shredded chicken. You can add other vegetables, such as kale or mushrooms for a more hearty soup. Use a vegan noodle to make a soup that is totally plant-based.
Make it creamy. Add a splash of heavy cream as the soup finishes cooking, and stir it up to make a creamy chicken noodle soup!
Add an egg. Beat an egg or two in a bowl, and pour the egg into the chicken noodle soup a minute or two before it finishes cooking. Gently stir it around, then immediately serve the soup.
Add more veggies. You can add mushrooms, kale, zucchini, or chard to the soup for a more veggie-forward variation. I also love to add some tomato paste when cooking the mirepoix veggies for a deeper flavor from caramelizing the tomato paste in the pot before adding liquid!

Storing and Reheating

Refrigerate: Store chicken noodle soup in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days, depending on the freshness of the chicken used. The noodles tend to absorb a lot of the broth, so I also like to drain most of the broth from leftover soup and store it separately. Add the broth back in when reheating.
Freeze: Let the soup cool completely, then portion out the soup into freezer-safe containers, like Souper Cubes, or large, durable freezer bags with a strong seal. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. If the soup is already fully cooked, the noodles may get soggy upon reheating. If you can, store the soup with no noodles or undercooked noodles. Add noodles when reheating.
Reheat from refrigerated: You can microwave refrigerated chicken noodle soup, or you can add the soup to a pot over medium heat.
Reheat from frozen: Thaw the chicken noodle soup in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat in the microwave or stovetop. Or you can reheat frozen soup in a pot on the stovetop over medium heat until cooked through.

Equipment