Creamy chicken noodle soup is cold weather comfort food at its finest. My easy recipe takes less than an hour to make in one pot and is deliriously soothing and satisfying. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Your New Favorite (Creamy!) Chicken Noodle Soup
According to the noses of my two toddlers, we’ve just kicked off cold & flu season. While there are a number of home remedies I jump to as soon as the sniffles start, this recipe is one of my favorites (and the silver lining to any dreary day).
Why you should make it:
- The chicken gets cooked right in the pot, so there’s no need to pick a rotisserie chicken or make sure you have leftover chicken to make it. A favorite technique of mine also used in my chicken and rice soup.
- Not too rich with a subtly creamy, velvety base. It’s not anywhere near as thick as my potato soup, so technically it doesn’t have to be cold weather food. Think of it like classic chicken noodle, just a splash more rich.
- Includes lots of fresh veggies, but you can always add more! I include a few suggestions below.
- Filling and protein packed, thanks to the chicken, but feel free to add some biscuits or crescent rolls on the side if you want to make it even heartier.
- One-pot dinner! This makes it a great weekday option, especially if you prep your veggies in advance.
Sniffles or not, this is truly just a great cold-weather option to keep on hand.
What You Need
Most of these ingredients are pretty standard, but let’s go over a few before we get into the recipe.
- Chicken. Raw chicken breasts or chicken thighs may be used here, but I personally recommend a blend of both. Chicken breasts are a leaner/less fatty meat, while the thighs have a lot of flavor, so tossing a few into the pot helps the flavor immensely. Once they are cooked, we’ll remove them from the pot, shred them (an electric mixer works well for this!), and return them to the pot.
- Veggies. Including the classic mirepoix veggies, aka celery, carrots, and onions. Frozen corn or peas or even small diced potatoes would also be good here; you can add them when you remove the chicken from the pot.
- Chicken stock. I recommend using homemade chicken stock if you have it, but of course you can always use store-bought if that’s all you have on hand.
- Egg noodles. Use your favorite brand or make my homemade egg noodles. If you make your own, note that you will likely need to increase the amount of chicken broth/stock in the recipe (and perhaps the salt and pepper as well, always taste-test), since homemade egg noodles usually retain more flour than the store-bought version.
- Spices. Including black pepper, paprika, thyme, and parsley.
SAM’S TIP: The noodles will soak up the broth quite quickly, so if you have any leftover soup, you will likely need to add more broth (and salt and pepper) when reheating.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
I started my favorite basic chicken noodle soup base (handed down to me from my mom) and gently enhanced it to make it subtly creamy. The end result is hearty and satisfying without being too heavy. Here’s how you do it (and in one pot, at that!):
- Cook the onions, celery, and carrots in melted butter over medium heat until softened, then add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle the flour, salt, and spices over the veggies and stir to coat. Cook until the flour is absorbed and slightly toasted (by cooking about 30-60 seconds longer after it’s absorbed), then slowly pour in the chicken broth.
- Add the chicken, then bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for another 15-20 minutes more, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the cooked chicken, shred or cut into bite-sized pieces, then place back in the pot.
- Stir in the egg noodles and cook until they are tender and cooked through, then reduce the heat to low.
- Stir in the cream until incorporated, then taste test. If needed, add additional salt and pepper. Enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: Always, ALWAYS taste test before serving! Your soup shouldn’t taste at all bland, but if it does, it just needs some more salt. I can’t give a precise amount to add here, since different chicken broths have different sodium levels. So just start small and add more as needed until the soup tastes good to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
I think this soup will freeze well when prepared up through step #7 in the recipe card below. I don’t recommend freezing after you’ve added the noodles or the cream, as neither tend to thaw nicely.
When you’re ready to thaw, you can follow the advice in this guide on how to freeze soup from Food52. Then pick up with the recipe at step #8, and enjoy!
You don’t have to, but if you don’t, then you technically won’t be making a creamy chicken noodle soup! The cream adds a slight richness and flavor to the soup without making it overly creamy or indulgent. I recommend adding it, but if you don’t want to, you can just use more chicken broth instead.
This soup isn’t designed to be super thick; instead, it’s supposed to be creamy and somewhat light (It’s not as thick as my chicken corn chowder). You can make it thicker by substituting a cup and a half of the broth with heavy cream. Keep in mind that the soup will definitely thicken as it cools, too, and the noodles will absorb much of the liquid.
Give my creamy chicken pasta a try next! It’s a bit richer and creamier than this soup, but still so flavorful and comforting on a cold night.
Enjoy! –Sam
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (75 g) salted butter
- 1 (140 g) heaping cup onion diced
- 2 cups (290 g) carrots cut into coins
- 2 cups (220 g) chopped celery usually 4 stalks
- 1 Tablespoon garlic minced
- 3 Tablespoons (23 g) flour
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 ½ lbs (680 g) uncooked chicken see note
- 6-8 cups (1.4-1.9 L) chicken broth see note
- 8 oz (226 g) uncooked egg noodles
- ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Melt butter in large soup pot over medium heat.⅓ cup (75 g) salted butter
- Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until softened and onions are translucent.1 (140 g) heaping cup onion, 2 cups (290 g) carrots, 2 cups (220 g) chopped celery
- Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).1 Tablespoon garlic
- Add flour, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and parsley in and stir together, coating veggies with flour and spices. Cook until flour is completely absorbed and then cook another 30 seconds longer to toast the flour.3 Tablespoons (23 g) flour, 1 teaspoon table salt, ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- Slowly, while stirring, drizzle 6 cups of chicken broth into pot.6-8 cups (1.4-1.9 L) chicken broth
- Add chicken to the soup and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to a simmer (usually medium-low heat). Cook until chicken is thoroughly cooked through (typically around 15-20 minutes).1 ½ lbs (680 g) uncooked chicken
- Once chicken is cooked, remove from the pot and cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Return shredded chicken to pot.
- Add egg noodles and cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Once noodles are cooked, reduce the heat to low and stir in heavy cream until completely incorporated.8 oz (226 g) uncooked egg noodles, ½ cup (118 ml) heavy cream
- Taste test and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
Broth
I always start with 6 cups. If the liquid is quickly absorbed by the noodles, add the additional broth as needed. It’s also a good idea to keep the extra broth on hand for heating up leftovers.Chicken
Breast or thighs will work, but I personally prefer a blend of both. If cooking both, it is helpful to cut the breasts in half/to be close in size to the thighs so that the chicken cooks at the same rate. It’s easy to tell when the chicken is finished cooking because it shreds easily with a pair of forks, but you can also use an instant read thermometer and check that it has reached 165F (74C).Noodles
Use your favorite brand of egg noodles or make your own.Storing
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the noodles will absorb most of the broth as the soup sits, so you will need to add more broth or water (and likely some salt and pepper, too) when reheating leftovers (unless you like a very thick soup).Flavor
If the soup tastes anything other than abundantly flavorful, you simply need a bit more salt! Add more salt to taste to bring out the flavors of the soup. A precise amount is difficult to predict given the varying sodium content of broths, so I start with a baseline amount and you will need to taste-test and add more as needed.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Mechelle Collins
I just made this soup. First time and made it exactly as written. It is absolutely perfect. Love , Love !! Thank you Sam.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Mechelle! 🙂
Mickey Dezell
Recipe looks fantastic I will definitely try. Would I be able to use frozen egg noodles in this?
Sam
Hi Mickey! I haven’t tried it, but it should work. 🙂
Fiona
YUM! I made this recipe for dinner tonight and it’s phenom! Both my fiancé and I went back for seconds. It’s perfectly creamy and satisfying without feeling too heavy. I followed the recipe as written except I subbed some extra carrots for celery (I’m a celery hater, sorry!) and it turned out perfectly. I didn’t end up adding any extra broth because we like a thicker soup. This will be my go-to chicken noodle soup recipe from now on!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Sybil
This is a fantastic soup. Easy to put together and super delicious!!!
Jenn Conley
Love in a bowl!! I have looked for a chicken noodle soup recipe for a few years; never found one I loved. This soup is BOMB! So glad I found it. Sam, every, single thing I’ve made from your website has been beyond spot on! You’ve turned me into a baker for sure. And now I will be making all your soups! Thanks for doing what you do! Please don’t stop!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jenn! 🙂
Brittany
I’ve made this 3 times now and it’s excellent. It’s my husbands 2nd favorite soup (your chili recipe is his favorite!) and he asks for it regularly. Makes great leftovers too. Thank you for all of your recipes and the detailed instructions! I’ve learned a lot about baking and I am so excited to get in my kitchen every day! 🙂
Sam
I’m so glad everything has been such a hit, Brittany! I love hearing things like this and being able to help with your confidence in the kitchen. 🙂
Liz
Would milk(2%) work as a substitute for the heavy cream? I guess it wouldn’t be as creamy that way, but I’m wondering if it’s better to substitute with milk, or just leave out the cream (and no milk) altogether? .
Sam
Hi Liz! I honestly am not sure how it would work. I worry that with the lower fat content of that milk that it could potentially split. 🙁
Mary
I made this yesterday for dinner and it is delicious. So good, I had a second bowl. Followed directions to the letter (with exception of using some shredded chicken breast on hand, so added at the end to heat through). Easy to follow recipe and clear instructions. And a delicious soup! Served with homemade biscuits & butter. Perfect comfort meal.
Janice
This was the first recipe I tried of yours and it is awesome. My husband said it’s the best chicken soup he ever had. Before putting some in freezer containers I added more broth. We have now eaten up all the leftovers. Served with a tossed salad and a piece of French bread. It’s now one of our favorites. I highly recommend it for a cold winter evening or nice hot lunch. Your recipes are all easy to follow and do not take a lot of time.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Janice! I love a nice chunk of bread with my chicken noodle soup. 🙂
Nicole
I have some cooked chicken I would like to use up, can I use it in this recipe?
Sam
Yes, I’d otherwise follow the recipe as written then add the chicken along with the noodles so it can warm as the noodles cook. Enjoy!
Meg
This soup is absolutely delicious. I made it exactly as written and it was as good as I hoped. I will definitely be making this again.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Meg! 🙂
Fravk
easy and delicious
Misty
I had covid and couldn’t taste anything but my husband said they were better than his mom’s LOL
I made your homemade noodles too! It felt great not feeding my family cream of anything soup.
Sam
Oh no! Get better soon, Misty! I’m glad everyone else enjoyed it. 🙂
Melissa
Made this yesterday and it is delicious! It did really thicken up in the fridge but we decided we love it too much to add more broth.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Melissa! 🙂
Laura Villarreal
I made this creamy chicken soup on Tuesday night. It was amazingly delicious left me wanting some more!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Laura! Once you start eating, it’s hard to stop! 🙂
Barbra
This soup is absolutely delicious! I made it with only chicken breasts as that’s what I had on hand. I also added in some diced potatoes because I had those, and you suggested they would be a nice addition. Thank you for the amazing recipe Sam, it made for a lovely family dinner!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Barbra! It’s a really tasty soup. 🙂
Kimberley Gebhart
I made this today for my family. It was delicious. The recipe seasoning was ferfect. My son even ate the carrots. That a true testament.
Thanks Sam
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! I hope you are doing well! 🙂
Lauren
I made this soup tonight exactly as shown and I agree, the spices come together just right on this and it is so comforting and flavorful. I’ll be making this soup many more times over the next few months because my family went crazy over it! So did my neighbor!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Lauren! 🙂