Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This homemade creamy chicken noodle soup is a family favorite– it's rich, hearty, comforting, and satisfying. Made with tender rotisserie chicken, egg noodles, and a blend of flavorful spices. Comes together in 1 pot and freezes wonderfully! It's perfect for cozy weeknight dinners, one whole family will love!

I originally published this recipe in 2020 and have since added some new photos and clearer instructions.

As soon as the cooler weather rolls in, this homemade creamy chicken noodle soup recipe is on repeat. It's truly a family favorite– I often make a double batch and toss it in the freezer to have on hand.

You'll Love This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

• BIG flavor from the flavorful spices
• The ultimate comfort food– pair with grilled cheese
• Extremely satisfying without being heavy
• Done in just 40 minutes
• Comes together easily in 1 pot so there's minimal dishes!
• Can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months

Ingredients To Use & Possible Substitutions

You need 1 BIG pot and basic soup ingredients. Overall, this is a very forgiving recipe, allowing you to make adjustments as needed.

• Butter: Just a 3 Tablespoons to soften the vegetables.
• Vegetables: The soup begins with a mirepoix which consists of onion, carrots, and celery. Mushrooms are a fabulous addition too!
• Spices: To add flavor, there's a blend of fresh garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
• Chicken: This recipe saves you time because you can use pre-cooked chicken. You could also us leftover cooked turkey as well. I usually pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred it, and add it into the soup. I do the same with these sheet pan nachos– it's so easy! (If you have leftover chicken, you can use it in recipes like these red chicken enchiladas, baked chicken tacos, chicken citrus quinoa salad, and skillet pot pie.) You can also boil 2 chicken breasts until cooked through in the chicken broth before adding the cream, shred, then stir back in with the cream.
• Chicken Broth: Or vegetable broth. I recommend using low sodium as you can add more salt as needed.
• Flour: Or cornstarch. This thickens the soup, taking it from brothy to rich and creamy. See the recipe notes for the cornstarch substitution.
• Heavy Cream: You can also use whole milk or half-and-half. This turns the homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. If you want to make regular, traditional chicken noodle soup, replace with chicken broth.
• Noodles: I prefer to use the wide egg noodles in this chicken soup, but you can use any small dry pasta you like, rice, or omit completely.

Overview: How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

1. Start with the Vegetables: It's important to cook down the onion, carrots, and celery with butter; just like in this minestrone recipe. After they soften, add in the spices and herbs. Finally, add the flour to absorb the liquid from the vegetables and butter, to help create a base for the soup.
2. Add the Chicken Broth & Noodles: Stir in the chicken broth, gently scraping the bits from the bottom of the pot– these add flavor to the soup. Bring to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until tender.
3. Add the Chicken & Cream: Add the shredded/chopped chicken and cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes until warm. Taste the soup and add more seasoning if needed.

More Soup Recipes

• Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup (made in a slow cooker!)
• Homemade Tomato Soup
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Author: Christina

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes minutes

Yield: 6 -8 servings

5 from 3 votes

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Description

This homemade creamy chicken noodle soup is a family favorite– it's rich, hearty, comforting, and satisfying. Made with tender rotisserie chicken, egg noodles, and a blend of flavorful spices. Comes together in 1 pot and freezes wonderfully! It's perfect for cozy weeknight dinners, one whole family will love!

Ingredients

 

• ▢ 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups chopped yellow onion, about 1 medium
• ▢ 1 ¼ cups sliced or chopped carrots, 2-3 large carrots
• ▢ 1 cup sliced or chopped celery, 3-4 stalks
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• ▢ 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 2 ¼ cups shredded or chopped chicken
• ▢ 1 8-ounce bag wide egg noodles (or other dry pasta)
• ▢ 1 cup heavy cream

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Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven (5-quart or larger) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, thyme, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Then, stir in the flour and cook for 2-3 minutes until the flour is absorbed.
• Stir in the chicken broth, gently scraping up the bits from the bottom of the pan, then increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and add the noodles. Cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Then, stir in the chicken and heavy cream. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Taste the soup and add more seasoning if desired– I usually add a pinch more salt.
• Serve warm. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, place in the microwave or heat over medium heat until warm. If desired, add more chicken broth as the noodles will absorb the liquid.

Notes

1. Make Ahead Instructions: The vegetables can be prepped up to 1 week in advance. Leftovers stay fresh in the refrigerator, covered tightly, 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.
2. Freezing Instructions: The soup freezes wonderfully, for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before freezing. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and heat as desired. You can also place the frozen soup in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours.
3. Heavy Cream: You can use heavy cream or half-and-half  for the best results. You can use whole milk or a lower fat milk, but the soup will be less creamy.
4. Chicken: I recommend using rotisserie chicken, and you can use either white or dark meat or both. You can also bake chicken breasts. You can also boil 2 large chicken breasts until cooked through in step 2 before adding the noodles, then shred/chop and use. Then, add the noodles.
5. Chicken Broth: I recommend using low-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth. If you use regular, you may need to reduce the salt and taste as you go.
6. Noodles: I find that wide egg noodles work best, but any small pasta will work such as elbow or orzo.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 96mg | Sodium: 775mg | Potassium: 689mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5335IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg

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