Description
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for chilly days or when you need a nourishing meal. It combines tender chicken, wide egg noodles, and a medley of vegetables in a creamy, flavorful broth thickened with a touch of flour and enriched with half-and-half. Simple to prepare on the stovetop, this soup offers a satisfying balance of creamy texture and savory herbs, making it a family-friendly favorite.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (100g) chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced carrots (1-2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
- 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced celery (2-3 stalks)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (around 1 and 1/2 cups or 280g)
Seasonings & Flour
- 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (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)
Liquids & Protein
- 8 cups (1.92 liters) chicken broth (reduced sodium recommended)
- 2 cups (about 250g) shredded or chopped cooked chicken
- 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half or whole milk
Pasta
- 3–4 cups (about 112-150g) uncooked wide egg noodles (or other dry pasta)
Optional Garnish
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven (at least 4-quart) over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, diced celery, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables soften.
- Add Flour and Seasonings: Stir in the all-purpose flour, salt, freshly ground pepper, dried thyme leaves, and dried oregano. Cook this mixture for 2 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste and to start creating the base of the soup.
- Add Broth and Potatoes: Pour in the chicken broth and add the diced potato. Stir quickly to combine all ingredients, then increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil without stirring. Boil for 3 minutes to allow the soup to start thickening.
- Simmer Soup: Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and let the soup simmer for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Add Chicken, Dairy, and Noodles: Add the shredded chicken, half-and-half or whole milk, and uncooked wide egg noodles to the pot. Cook for 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and the soup has thickened. Taste once more and adjust seasoning if desired.
- Serve and Store: Serve the soup warm, optionally garnished with fresh thyme leaves. Leftovers can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. To reheat, warm in a pot over medium heat, adding extra chicken broth if the soup has thickened too much.
Notes
- The soup thickens as it cools because the noodles and potatoes absorb liquid; add broth when reheating to adjust consistency.
- Wide egg noodles work best, but other pasta shapes can be substituted if preferred.
- Use reduced sodium chicken broth to control saltiness, adjusting salt seasoning at the end.
- Half-and-half provides creaminess without being overly heavy; whole milk is a lighter substitute.
- Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried for a brighter flavor.
- Cooked chicken can be leftover roast chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken for convenience.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups (approximate)
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
