Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ½ pounds bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more, to taste
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the bay leaves and chicken stock, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- After adding the chicken and bringing it to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer it covered for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken, allow to cool, then chop into bite-sized pieces, throwing away any bones.
- Cook the pasta and chicken for 6-7 minutes, or until they are tender.
- Take off the heat and mix in the lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve immediately.
About the Chicken Stock:
For this recipe, homemade chicken stock is the best option if you’re wondering whether to use store-bought or homemade. The key is to use a rotisserie chicken so that you can use the meat from the bird and use the leftover carcass and bones to make chicken broth. You won’t believe how simple it is, and the depth of flavor it adds really elevates the soup to a whole new level.
How to Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup:
Use a rotisserie chicken to make homemade chicken stock in advance, or select a high-quality brand from the store.
Sauté veggies. Put butter, chopped carrots, and celery in a big stock pot and heat it to medium-high. Sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add chicken stock or broth. Add pepper, salt (make sure to taste the broth before adding extra salt), and a small pinch of crushed red pepper, sage, and rosemary to the broth. If necessary, I might also add a tiny spoonful of “better than bullion” chicken or chicken bouillon powder, depending on how it tastes.
Add noodles and boil. When boiling, add the noodles (dried store-bought pasta or the raw homemade egg noodles) and cook until just al dente. When using store-bought noodles, take care not to overcook them; they will continue to cook off of the heat, so take the soup pot off of the heat as soon as the noodles are just barely tender.
Add chicken. Add chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the broth again and add more seasonings, if needed.
Serve. If you enjoy this recipe, you should try my new Chicken and Dumpling Soup! I love to serve this nutritious soup with homemade rolls or this simple No Knead Bread!
