Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

Homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch is made with a whole chicken, herbs, and spices simmered in old fashioned chicken broth. A classic recipe, just like grandma would have made, is the ultimate comfort meal for cold days or when feeling a bit under the weather.

Chicken noodle soup is a well loved meal in our home. During the cold of winter, the delicious aroma fills the air, making this the best comforting food of the season. With amazing flavor and simple ingredients, this is sure to be a family favorite in your home as well.

I love finding ways to incorporate bone broth into our meals. Bone broth is nutritious, and a great source of vitamins and minerals. Known to be an effective immune booster, a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup is what we often cook up when feeling under the weather.

If you love old fashioned, homemade soup recipes, be sure to try another family favorite, Dutch Oven Vegetable Soup.

Video | Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

Enjoy this video as Lydia and I work in the kitchen preparing homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch. You will notice that we make two pots of soup. In our family of six, I often cook enough extra food to have leftovers.

How Long Does it Take to Make Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

If you have several hours available, making homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch is the best way to make soup. I like to start in the morning time, simmer the whole chicken, and allow it to cool. After lunch, I finish making the soup and it is ready for serving at dinner.

This recipe is a two step process. First, you make the broth, which is what takes the longest amount of time. The chicken takes about 2 hours to cook and several hours to cool. Then, the second step is making the soup, which does not take more than 30 minutes once everything is prepped.

What to Add to Chicken Noodle Soup for Flavor

Adding herbs and spices is the best way to add flavor to homemade chicken noodle soup. Chicken and noodles are bland on their own without seasoning. Add in some seasonings, and you really change the flavor of the soup.

For this from scratch recipe, I use onion, garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, parsley and bay leaf. Salt and pepper are also a very important part of the ingredients. I suggest you add herbs and spices to your desired taste.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Broth

• Whole Chicken 3-4 pounds
• 3 carrots, cut into chunks
• 3 celery ribs, cut into chunks
• 1/2 onion, peeled, cut into slices
• 1 tbsp ground pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• water, enough to cover chicken

Soup

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 3 medium carrots, diced to 1/4″ thick
• 3 celery ribs, diced diced to 1/4″ thick
• 2 teaspoons dried sage
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 2 bay leaf
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• shredded chicken – use desired amount
• 1 package egg noodles

How to Make Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

Broth

1. Remove giblets from whole chicken.
2. In a large stock pot, simmer a whole chicken with celery, carrots, onion, salt, pepper and bay leaves
3. Cover with a lid, bring the water to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for 2 hours or until chicken is tender and easily comes off of the bone when pulled with a fork.
4. Remove the chicken and all the vegetables from the broth into a separate container. Discard the vegetables as they will be too soft and mushy to use in the soup. Allow the chicken to cool.
5. Sit the chicken broth aside to cool. Once cool, skim off the top layer of fat.

Soup

1. With two forks, shred the chicken into small pieces.
2. In a cast iron skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for 3-4 minutes. Add celery and carrots, cook 5-6 minutes until softened.
3. Remove the vegetables from the cast iron skillet. Add the vegetables, herbs and spices to the chicken broth. Stir to combine and simmer for a least 10 minutes. I have simmered for longer, depending on how long I have before I am ready to serve chicken noodle soup for dinner.
4. Increase heat, add noodles and cook for 8-10 minutes, or according to noodle instructions on package.
5. Add chicken, and stir. Simmer 5 minutes.
6. Remove bay leaves.
7. Serve chicken noodle soup immediately.

Simple Tips for Making the Best Chicken Noodle Soup

• Save Time: cook the chicken the day before and shred it before putting in the refrigerator. Refrigerate the broth, then scrape the “scum” off the top before making the chicken noodle soup. Vegetables can be cut up in advance as well in order to save time on the day you plan to make the soup.
• Vegetable Size: cut vegetable to 1/4″ thick to avoid them getting mushy while simmering.
• Add More Broth: the noodles will absorb a lot of broth so you may need to add additional broth as needed, especially when reheating as leftovers.
• Seasonings: Adding seasonings is an essential part of making delicious chicken noodle soup. You can start with the amounts that I share in the recipe, but you may find that you need to alter the amounts for your taste.

How to Store Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup

To store homemade chicken noodle soup, allow it to cool. Then, place in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

To re-heat leftover chicken noodle soup, place in pan on stove over medium low heat. Stir occasionally until chicken and noodles are warm, adding additional broth as needed.

Printable Recipe Card | Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

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