Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup is rich, hearty, and made completely from scratch (broth and all!). Make this comforting soup on a cold winter’s night or the next time you’re sick. 

Why Make Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch? 

This is an old-fashioned chicken noodle soup, meaning every last part of the recipe is prepared from scratch. Yes, even the chicken stock! 

Since the chicken stock is homemade and the chicken itself must be poached beforehand, this is definitely a soup recipe that requires some advance planning. However, there’s not as much hands-on prep work required to make homestyle chicken noodle soup as you might think! 

So much of the recipe involves letting ingredients simmer gently on the stove — you don’t even have to stir it! 

To save yourself some time, you can always purchase a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and pick the meat off the bones before using the carcass to make the homemade chicken stock. 

But because I know you’re curious  — no, you don’t have to make this chicken noodle soup completely from scratch. The recipe also works with store-bought chicken stock, but the flavor won’t be nearly as rich. 

However, I’m not the chicken noodle soup police! Feel free to go as homemade with this recipe as you’d like. 

Kitchen Equipment Needed 

Homestyle recipes like this chicken noodle soup might require a little more time in preparing the individual ingredients, but they’re otherwise very straightforward and rarely require special kitchen tools.

• Cutting Board and Chef’s Knife — For preparing the veggies and aromatics. 
• Liquid Measuring Cup — For measuring the chicken stock. 
• Large Stock Pot — For making both the homemade chicken stock and the soup. 
• Medium-sized Saucepan — For cooking the egg noodles separately from the soup. 
• Ladle — For portioning out the soup. 

Recipe Ingredients 

This hearty chicken noodle soup might be a totally scratch recipe, but that does not mean it’s fussy or packed with specialty ingredients! You’ll need the following basic ingredients to make the soup: 

• Butter
• Leeks
• Carrots
• Celery 
• Homemade Chicken Stock
• Fresh Thyme and Parsley
• Cooked Chicken (see notes below) 
• Wide Egg Noodles 

Ingredient Notes

• Leeks — Can be replaced with chopped yellow onion. 
• Chicken — If using fresh, uncooked chicken, I like to poach the chicken and then cut it into cubes. Alternatively, you may use chicken from a leftover roast chicken OR store-bought rotisserie chicken (use the meat for the soup and reserve the carcass to make the homemade chicken stock). The chicken can also be replaced with leftover roast turkey. 
• Homemade chicken stock — Can be replaced with turkey stock or store-bought chicken stock.  
• Egg noodles — Can be replaced with a gluten-free egg noodle, if needed. 

How to Make Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

This is an easy-to-follow chicken egg noodle soup recipe that anyone can make! Follow these basic steps: 

1. Prepare the homemade chicken stock. You can do this the same day you make the soup or a couple days in advance. You can make chicken stock in an Instant Pot or on the stovetop (the recipe linked is for turkey stock, but the method is the exact same!). 
2. Saute the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large stockpot. Add the chopped leeks, celery, and carrots. Cook until fragrant. 
3. Add the remaining ingredients. To the stockpot, add the prepared chicken stock, thyme, cooked chicken, and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until the vegetables are tender. 
4. Cook the pasta. I suggest doing this in a separate saucepan to prevent the noodles from becoming soggy. 
5. Ladle and serve. Spoon a portion of cooked egg noodles into your bowls, then top with the chicken soup. 

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Take the time to prepare homemade chicken stock. It’s what makes this homestyle chicken noodle soup over-the-top AMAZING. I’ve provided lots of tips and tricks in my chicken stock recipe. You can use different types of chicken (rotisserie, leftover, etc.) to make stock, so it’s a very flexible method.  
• Clean the leeks properly. Here’s a full tutorial on how to clean leeks. They often contain dirt within their folds, so you want to make sure to clean them well before adding to the soup. 
• Cook the noodles separately. This prevents them from sitting in the soup and becoming soggy. Only cook the noodles directly in the soup if you know the entire batch will be eaten in one sitting! 
• Cook the noodles in broth for extra flavor. You can also use salted water, but cooking the pasta in chicken stock or broth will infuse them with much more flavor. 
• Use any cut of chicken you like. We prefer white meat in our hearty chicken noodle soup, but you can use chicken from a leftover roast chicken, store-bought rotisserie chicken, or cook whole chickens in the Instant Pot when preparing the stock and pull the chicken off from that to use in the soup. 

Recipe FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

Do I have to use homemade chicken stock? 

No, you don’t have to make this chicken noodle soup recipe with homemade chicken stock. However, the homemade stock gives this otherwise simple soup a more nuanced, richer flavor that you simply cannot achieve with store-bought stock! 

What are the best herbs for chicken noodle soup? 

I suggest using a mixture of fresh parsley and thyme in this soup. I don’t recommend adding too many fresh herbs or else the flavor of the chicken itself will be overwhelmed. 

If desired, you may add fresh rosemary to the soup as well, or you can use it instead of the thyme. 

What are the best noodles for chicken noodle soup? 

I suggest making this chicken noodle soup with egg noodles. I prefer wide egg noodles, but any egg noodle will work. 

Egg noodles are heartier than regular pasta and have a delightfully chewy texture. 

Can I use other veggies?

Absolutely! We have added green beans to this recipe before (cut into 1-inch pieces), but frozen peas also work well. 

Can I make this a meatless recipe? 

Of course! Omit the chicken and replace it with additional vegetables (leeks, carrots, celery, chopped fresh green beans, frozen peas, etc.). The chicken stock can also be replaced with vegetable broth. 

How can I thicken chicken noodle soup? 

If your chicken egg noodle soup isn’t thick enough for your liking, whisk together a quick cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water). Add the slurry to the soup, give it about 5 minutes to thicken up, then repeat the slurry process if you want the soup to be thicker. 

Storage Instructions 

For best results, store the soup in an airtight container rather than stashing a large pot full of soup in your fridge. 

I suggest storing the chicken soup and the cooked noodles separately; this prevents the noodles from sitting in the soup and becoming soggy. You can also cook a fresh batch of egg noodles each time you reheat the soup leftovers so the noodles are always perfect! 

Can Chicken Noodle Soup Be Frozen?

Yes, but you must freeze the chicken soup without the egg noodles in it! I recommend preparing the noodles separately and stirring them into the soup after it’s been defrosted.   

If you freeze the entire batch of chicken noodle soup — i.e. noodles and all — the noodles will fall apart when thawed and reheated. 

See more information on freezing noodle soups in my soup freezing guide. 

How Long Does Chicken Noodle Soup Last? 

Leftover homestyle chicken noodle soup will keep up to 5 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.

What to Serve with Chicken Noodle Soup

Not sure what to eat with chicken noodle soup? I prefer to keep the sides simple and let the soup be the main focus of the meal. 

Some great sides for chicken noodle soup include: 

• Leafy green salad (like this Italian Mixed Greens Salad or Copycat Olive Garden Salad)
• Potato Rolls
• Rustic Rosemary Bread
• Honey Cornbread Muffins

Try Making Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch! 

Next time you’re looking for an easy, homemade chicken noodle soup, give this scratch recipe a try!

Did you think it made the most delicious chicken egg noodle soup? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this recipe.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of your homemade soup!

More Easy Chicken Soup Recipes: 

This Chicken Tortellini Soup is the perfect twist on the classic soup, and you’ll still be on your way to feeling better in no time, no matter the time of year!

This Chicken Chili Verde has tons of flavor and a surprising amount of good for you ingredients. It features chunks of tender chicken, tomatillos, peppers, and cannellini beans in a thick chili verde base. 

I flavored this Chicken Potato Chowder with fresh rosemary and amped up the creaminess with a little cream cheese. The ultimate winter soup! 

Make a big batch of Italian Wedding Soup with Chicken Meatballs to warm up on a cold winter’s day! Next time you’re craving a bowl of comforting soup, give this delicious recipe a try.

This Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup is warm and spicy. Plus, you likely have all the ingredients on hand! A quick and easy dinner for cold nights! 

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