Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

up close bowl of creamy chicken noodle soup with napkin

4.70 from 36 votes

Warm your soul with this delicious creamy chicken noodle soup. Easy to make, this recipe is perfect when you are running short on time but want something filling and hearty.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Becky Hardin

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 ribs celery diced
3 carrots diced
2 cloves garlic minced
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
2 cups dry pasta **
¼ cup unsalted butter ½ stick
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk room temperature
½ cup heavy cream room temperature
kosher salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
chopped fresh parsley optional, for garnish

Instructions

Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened. Add in garlic and sauté for 1 minute, until fragrant.
2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 onion, 3 ribs celery , 3 carrots, 2 cloves garlic
Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Lower in the chicken breasts, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 10-15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Lower heat to bring soup to a simmer. Add pasta and cook until tender.
2 cups dry pasta
Meanwhile, heat butter over medium heat in a small sauté pan. Once melted, whisk in the flour. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until the mixture is golden, about 1 to 2 minutes.
¼ cup unsalted butter, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Slowly ladle in 1 cup of the broth while whisking continually. Once incorporated, whisk in the milk and cream. Add to the soup pot.
2 cups milk, ½ cup heavy cream
Once cool enough to touch, shred the chicken into bite sizes pieces with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot of soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
kosher salt, ground black pepper
Stir in the parsley if desired. Ladle into bowls to serve and enjoy!
chopped fresh parsley

Video

Notes

*To use chicken thighs instead of breasts, increase the poaching time to 20 minutes, or until the thighs are cooked through.

**Feel free to choose your favorite pasta shape in this recipe. Great options are egg noodles, rotini, penne, and macaroni.

Tips:

If possible, make this soup in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. This will help prevent burning and stop the soup from sticking to the bottom.
Whisk the butter and flour together thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
You can cook the roux for longer to deepen the flavor.
Adding cold milk or cream straight from the fridge can shock the roux, causing it to curdle. Let your milk and cream sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before adding so they blend smoothly.
If you want to make this soup even quicker, feel free to use pre-cooked shredded chicken instead of cooking it yourself. Add the pre-cooked chicken in step 6, once the noodles are cooked and heavy cream has been added.
When ready, the internal temperature of cooked chicken should be 165°F.
If you plan to store leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them when serving. This prevents them from absorbing too much liquid and turning mushy in the fridge.
A teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or a splash of white wine vinegar at the end brightens the flavors and balances the richness of the cream.

Storage: Store creamy chicken noodle soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Nutrition