Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Weeknight Chicken Noodle Soup

There are few recipes as comforting and nostalgic as homemade chicken noodle soup. And while there is nothing lovelier than a big pot simmering away on the stove all afternoon, sometimes it’s a Tuesday and you are still in need of comfort food, and the cozy hug that is a bowl of chicken noodle.

So think of this as a weeknight chicken noodle soup – full of tender chicken, chunky vegetables, curly egg noodles, fresh herbs, and a nourishing, flavorful broth – that comes together in under an hour.

Why You’ll Love This Simple, Cozy Chicken Soup Recipe

The base of this simple chicken soup begins with a quick mirepoix – diced onions, carrots, and celery – sauteed in olive oil and butter, and seasoned with garlic and aromatic herbs. Always a good beginning!

Then we’ll take advantage of juicy, flavorful rotisserie chicken. They cook it for hours, so we don’t have to. You could certainly also use your own precooked, poached or roast chicken, too, but this is a weeknight soup, so we’re taking the shortcut.

If you have homemade stock in the freezer, this is the perfect time to pull it out, as the best-quality broth will make the tastiest soup. Never fear though, a good store-bought version will work great too. Especially if you borrow one of my favorite tricks and throw in a Parmesan rind to simmer away – a sneaky way to quickly build umami and flavor.

Before you know it, it’s time to ladle into bowls, top with fresh herbs and Parmesan, and dive in with some sourdough. Happy cooking!!

Ingredients to Make the Best Chicken Noodle Soup:

This comforting soup is full of classic flavors from simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• onion, carrots, and celery: our soup begins with a quick mirepoix, the classic aromatic base of flavor for so many soups. I like to leave my celery and carrots pretty chunky, but you can also dice everything if you prefer a smaller texture.
• butter and extra-virgin olive oil: to saute our veggies and add a flavor boost.
• aromatic herbs: garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oregano season the broth in that familiar way. Fennel seeds, a bay leaf, and tarragon are also favorites. And of course, be sure to season well along the way with Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
• chicken stock: you’ll want to choose a top-quality chicken stock or broth for the best flavor. This is the perfect time to bring out any homemade chicken broth you might have been saving). If not, look for a top-quality store-bought version. If you use a bone broth, I’d recommend thinning it a bit with regular stock or broth, as some can be a bit too concentrated.
• noodles: egg noodles are the traditional choice, but you can really use any shape of pasta you’d prefer. Just adjust the cooking time as needed.
• chicken: rotisserie chicken is fantastic for this, because it’s already well-flavored and nice and juicy. You’ll need about half (save the rest for another quick meal!), but homemade roasted chicken if of course delicious here, if you have the time, or leftovers.
• fresh herbs: in addition to the dried herbs we’ll flavor the soup base with, I also like to serve with fresh parsley, dill, chives, or tarragon.
• extras: this chicken soup is also excellent with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. If I have one on hand (there’s usually a stash in our freezer), adding a small Parmesan rind to the broth as it simmers away is lovely. And if you’d like a more veggie-heavy soup, some fresh spinach, kale, or thinly-sliced zucchini are all excellent additions. Of course, with any soup, you can easily adjust to your own tastes!

Find all the exact ingredients and recipe instructions in the recipe card, below.

How to Make Easy Chicken Noodle Soup:

Ordinarily, the best chicken noodle soup begins by searing the chicken (typically bone-in chicken breasts and/or chicken thighs), but to make this recipe more weeknight friendly, we’re going to skip that step. Don’t worry, we’ll still be able to build tons of flavor! Here’s how you’ll make it:

1. Grab your soup pot and collect all your ingredients. Saute the veggies in butter and oil, then add your herbs, and cook until soft and fragrant.
2. Pour in your stock, let things simmer, then add the noodles.
3. Add your chicken. Since it’s already cooked, we’ll add it at the end, just to warm through so that it doesn’t become overcooked.

The last step is dividing into bowls, and topping with grated Parmesan and a handful of fresh chopped herbs. Enjoy!

More Soups to Make this Fall:

• Lemony Kale and White Bean Soup
• Simple Homemade Chicken Ramen
• Butternut Squash Noodle Soup
• Garlicky Ginger Noodle Soup

If you make this easy chicken noodle soup recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura