Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 15 ml (1 tablespoon)vegetable oil
• ½onion, finely chopped
• 1carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1celery stalk, finely chopped
• Leaves from 1 sprigthyme, chopped
• 950 ml (4 cups)chicken stock
• to tastesalt and pepper
• 360 ml (1½ cups)medium egg noodles
• 1chicken breast, seared and cooked through

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the oil

   Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan until warm.

2. 2

   Soften the vegetables

   Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the carrot and celery, then cook until tender.

3. 3

   Simmer the stock

   Stir in the thyme and chicken stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

4. 4

   Season the soup

   Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. 5

   Cook the noodles

   Bring the stock back to the boil, add the egg noodles and cook for 7 minutes, or until they are as tender as you like.

6. 6

   Add the chicken

   Cut the cooked chicken breast into 1.3 cm (½-inch) pieces and add them to the soup.

7. 7

   Serve warm

   Ladle the soup into warm bowls.

What is chicken noodle soup?

Chicken noodle soup is a familiar broth-based dish made with chicken, vegetables and noodles. Versions are found in many food traditions, so this simple recipe is best understood as a home-style classic rather than one tied to a single origin.

Here, onion, carrot and celery build a gentle savoury base, while thyme gives the stock a fresh herbal note. The chicken is already cooked before it goes in, and the noodles simmer in the broth just before serving.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 190 calories, 17g protein, 17g carbs, 7g fat.

The noodles provide most of the carbohydrates, while the chicken supplies much of the protein. Vegetable oil and the chicken contribute most of the fat; stock also affects the sodium, depending on its brand and seasoning. Serve with a side of greens or another vegetable to round out the bowl.

Build a gentle vegetable base

Onion first: give it the full 5 minutes to soften in the oil without rushing it. Finely chopped pieces cook evenly and are easy to eat in a spoonful of soup.

Carrot and celery: cut them to a similar small size so they become tender together. The recipe adds them after the onion has softened, then cooks them until tender.

Keep the simmer steady

Once the stock boils, lower the heat so it simmers gently for 20 minutes. A steady simmer lets the thyme and vegetables flavour the broth without boiling it vigorously.

Stock choice: use a chicken stock whose seasoning you know, since salt levels vary. Taste the soup before adding salt, then adjust with pepper to suit.

Get the noodles right

Add the noodles only after the stock is brought back to the boil. Cook them for 7 minutes, checking tenderness as they approach the end of that time.

Noodle texture: follow the stated time as a guide, but use the texture you prefer as the final cue. They continue to soften if left sitting in hot soup.

Use cooked chicken

Chicken first: the breast should be seared and cooked through before it is chopped. Cut it into 1.3 cm (½-inch) pieces so it is easy to distribute through the soup.

Add it after the noodles are cooked, as directed. This warms the chicken in the broth without subjecting it to the full simmering time.

Serve and round out the meal

Warm bowls help the soup stay hot at the table. A simple piece of bread or toast makes a practical accompaniment for soaking up the broth.

For a fuller plate, add a side of greens or another vegetable. Keep the soup itself as the main event, since it already contains vegetables, noodles and chicken.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the onion, carrot and celery to similar sizes so they cook evenly.
• Taste the stock before salting, as some stocks are already well seasoned.
• Keep the stock at a gentle simmer during the 20-minute cooking stage.
• Check the noodles near the end of their 7-minute cooking time for your preferred tenderness.
• Cut the cooked chicken into evenly sized pieces for easier serving.

Variations

• Add parsley: stir in chopped parsley at the end for a fresh finish.
• Use another noodle: choose a similar-sized pasta and check it for tenderness as it cooks.
• Add garlic: cook a little finely chopped garlic with the onion for extra savoury flavour.
• Include peas: add peas near the end so they heat through without becoming too soft.
• Make it peppery: add extra freshly ground black pepper when serving.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling hard: a vigorous boil can make the soup rough; lower the heat once the stock reaches the boil.
• Undercooked vegetables: give the carrot and celery time to become tender before adding the stock.
• Overcooked noodles: check them around the 7-minute mark and stop when they reach your preferred texture.
• Salting too early: stock can be salty already; taste before adjusting the seasoning.
• Adding raw chicken: use a seared, cooked-through breast as specified, then add it chopped at the end.

How to store

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan until hot throughout; the noodles may soften as they sit in the broth.

Frequently asked questions