This is my homemade creamy chicken noodle soup recipe. It’s a lightened-up version but you’d never know it— family and friends rave about it! It’s made in one pot and freezes perfectly!
As soon as September rolls around I crave cooler weather and soup. This is, by far, my favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipes. I’ve easily made it over 200 times by now because it’s the easiest, flavorful, and most satisfying creamy chicken noodle soup. The fresh thyme takes it to the next level.
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Made in one pot!
- Satisfying
- Incredibly flavorful
- Lightened-up without sacrificing flavor
- On the table in 1 hour
- Only 20 minutes of actual “work”
How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
You need 1 big pot— I highly recommend this one and a few basic soup ingredients.
- Start with Butter: Cook the onions, carrots, and celery in 3 Tablespoons of butter.
- Spices: To the pot, add fresh thyme, dried oregano, dried parsley, salt, and pepper. The spices combined with fresh garlic produces the most flavorful soup.
- Cornstarch: Just a bit creates a thick soap base.
- Milk: The milk turns the soup into the creamiest soup. We’re using 1 and 1/2 cups of milk (see substitutions in the recipe below.)
- Chicken: Using store-bought rotisserie chicken is a huge time savor for this recipe. To save even more time, shred the chicken the day before.
This Soup Satisfies & Feeds an Army
Just one bowl of this creamy chicken noodle soup leaves me satisfied for hours without feeling like my stomach was going to explode. This recipe not only feeds a large family, but is also perfect for a smaller family. It’s just the 2 of us and there’s plenty of leftovers for the week.
But hold on, this soup freezes perfectly! Made it ahead of time and thaw it for a busy weeknight!
If you’re looking for an easy delicious soup recipe for the cooler months– try it out. It will be your new favorite!
More Recipes To Try
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Description
Ingredients
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium)
- 1 and 1/2 cup sliced or chopped carrots (2-3 large carrots)
- 1 cup sliced or chopped celery (3-4 stalks)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 (32 ounce) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 and 1/2 cups shredded chicken
- 1 and 1/2 cup milk*
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 (8 ounce) bag wide egg noodles (about 4 cups)
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a 5 quart or larger pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes to allow the vegetables to soften. Add the oregano, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir together and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Next, add the broth. Give everything a stir and scrape the bits up from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a boil, without stirring, for 2-3 minutes. Add the noodles and shredded chicken. Cook the noodles until tender— about 6-8 minutes.
- Combine the milk and cornstarch by stirring together until no lumps remain. The best way to do this: add the cornstarch to a large measuring cup or bowl, then add the milk slowly while stirring. Add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the soup. Allow the soup to cook for 3-5 minutes until the milk incorporates into the soup and it thickens slightly. Take the soup to see if it needs more seasoning.
- Serve the soup warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Tips: Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You may need to add more chicken broth or water as you warm it up— I usually do. The noodles soap up the liquid as it sits. The soup freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before, then heat on the stove. You can also put the frozen soup in a crockpot on low for 4 hours.
- Slow Cooker Option: Add 1-1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, spices, and chicken broth to the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. About 30-40 minutes before you want to eat, remove the chicken breasts and shred them, then place them back in the slow cooker with the milk/cornstarch mixture and egg noodles. Give it a nice stir. Allow to cook until the noodles are al dente— start checking at the 15 minute mark. It can take anywhere from 15-20 minutes.
- Milk: You can use any milk fat or dairy-free milk. To keep it dairy-free, use ghee instead of butter.
- Chicken Broth: I prefer to use low-sodium chicken broth. If you choose to use regular, you may need to reduce the salt and taste as you go.
- Chicken: Feel free to bake and shred your own chicken but I find that using rotisserie chicken is easier.
Looks delicious! I love a good soup, especially during the fall/winter time!
Same here! This is one of my favorites!
Yummy! Definitely adding this to my list of recipes to try!
You’ll love it Kayla!