When I'm feeling under the weather, I only want one thing: cozy and comforting chicken noodle soup. I'm not the only one who feels this way鈥攖his classic soup is one of the world鈥檚 most beloved comfort foods, and I definitely took that to heart when creating this recipe. Chunks of juicy chicken mingle with carrots, celery, and tender egg noodles in a deep, sory broth for a soup that will transport you right back to Grandma鈥檚 table after just one spoonful. Read on for everything you need to know to make this classic recipe:
What People Are Saying:"I he a house full of boys. I made this soup when one of them got the flu and they all devoured it. It鈥檚 delicious! Much tastier and healthier than store bought." - RedWheel
"Great hearty soup. I make as stated and do a double batch and freeze the extra for busy or sick days....so gooooood" - LoLisa
How To Make Chicken Noodle SoupINGREDIENTSChicken: Skin-on, bone-in chicken parts give you the most florful broth. Using a mix of dark meat and white meat is ideal; the dark meat parts take well to long simmering, while the white meat parts can be pulled early and shredded, yielding lots of juicy chicken for the final soup. Herbs: No need to reinvent the wheel here. I went with bay leaf and thyme, the signature flors of a classic chicken noodle soup. Noodles: Wide egg noodles are my go-to for chicken noodle soup. Why? Well, there鈥檚 the convenience factor鈥攖hey cook directly in the soup, no separate boiling and draining required鈥攂ut also because they he flor in their corner. Richer than standard wheat noodles, they make for a heartier, more satisfying soup.STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONSWe鈥檒l begin by browning the chicken to develop a deep flor that we鈥檒l then capture in our broth.. Heat oil in a large pot, preferably a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces on both sides with 2 tsp. salt, and then place in the pot skin side down. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown underneath (the more you move the chicken, the less it will brown鈥攕o don鈥檛 do it!). Turn the chicken over with tongs and cook until golden brown on the second side. About 5 minutes per side should be sufficient.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINNow let鈥檚 get our broth going. The idea here is to give individualized attention to the white meat and dark meat parts so as to play to their strengths. Pour in the stock and water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon (we want that flor in our broth!). Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer鈥攂ubbles should break the surface only intermittently鈥攁nd cook, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a simmer, until the chicken breasts are cooked through; an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the flesh should register 165掳. Gentle heat is the key to extracting maximum flor while ensuring moist, juicy meat. Transfer the breasts to a cutting board and let them cool. Continue to simmer the dark meat pieces for another 40 minutes, then transfer to the cutting board and let cool slightly.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINTime to shred. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones from both white and dark meat parts. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Set the chicken aside for a moment while we work on our aromatic vegetables and noodles.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINRemove and discard the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the broth. Add the onion, celery, and carrot (our aromatics) to the pot and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Now for the noodles: Add them directly to the broth. (This is the beauty of egg noodles鈥攖hey cook directly in the soup, absorbing its flors and throwing off enough starch to lend a bit of body.) Simmer the egg noodles, stirring occasionally, until tender, about another 5 minutes.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINNow let's bring our shredded chicken back into play. Return the chicken to the pot and add the black pepper; taste and add more salt if needed.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINTo serve, divide the soup among bowls and top with chopped parsley and more black pepper.
PHOTO: CHELSEA LUPKINThe full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe TipsThe best type of noodles for chicken noodle soup. When choosing the best type of noodle, wide egg noodles are the perfect choice. They hold their own against the chicken and the vegetables while simultaneously adding their own rich body to the soup. If you鈥檙e in a pinch, you can use whatever thick noodle you he on hand, but I highly recommend egg noodles for this classic recipe.The secret to the most florful chicken noodle soup. Browning the chicken in the pot before adding the stock, water, and aromatics boosts the deep, rich flors that we want to create in the broth. And keeping the liquid at a bare simmer (with just a few tiny bubbles breaking the surface every now and then) throughout the entire process ensures the chicken, vegetables, and noodles will cook gently, coaxing out maximum flor while moderating the broth鈥檚 reduction.All about the chicken. You can make chicken noodle soup with any combination of bone-in, skin-on chicken parts, but if you he the choice, I highly recommend using a breast, a thigh, and a drumstick (basically, half a chicken, broken down). A combination of white and dark meat is ideal because it gives you that gorgeous shredded white meat in the finished soup with the benefit of the added depth of flor that comes from stewing the dark meat for an additional 40 minutes after the white meat is finished cooking. Don鈥檛 be tempted to lee the chicken breast in for the full hour; it will overcook and turn tough and dry.StorageIf you he leftovers, I strongly suggest (okay, BEG) that you store the noodles separately from the broth. If they鈥檙e stored together, the noodles will soak up the liquid and turn to mush鈥攁nd there won鈥檛 be any broth left. If you鈥檇 like to cook this soup in advance, the same recommendation applies, though if you鈥檙e making it ahead of time, I鈥檇 recommend skipping the noodles completely. You can add them to the broth when you reheat the soup, and they should be fully cooked in just 5 minutes.