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Bowl with The Best Chicken Noodle Soup in the foreground. The soup has chunks of chicken, carrots, celery, onions, noodles, and a slightly creamy broth.

The Best Chicken Noodle Soup

This really is the best chicken noodle soup. It’s based on the soup our mom made when we were growing up, but with more fresh herbs, a little lemon, and just a touch of cream. It’s the perfect soup for a chilly day!
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Prep Time:15 minutes
Cook Time:50 minutes
Total Time:1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Chicken, Dinner, Soup
Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup celery (about 3 stalks), chopped
  • 1 cup carrots (about 3 carrots), chopped
  • 1 small onion (about 1 ½ cups), diced
  • 1 tbsp fresh thyme
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream, room temperature
  • 2 cups egg noodles, uncooked
  • ½ tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste, if desired
  • Salt, to taste
  • Cracked black pepper, to taste

Optional

  • Fresh ciabatta or baguette, for dipping

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
    2 tbsp butter
  • Add the celery, carrots, onions, herbs, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables soften.
    1 cup celery (about 3 stalks), 1 cup carrots (about 3 carrots), 1 small onion (about 1 ½ cups), 1 tbsp fresh thyme, 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, ¼ tsp red pepper flakes, Salt, Cracked black pepper
  • Add the chicken broth to the pot with the vegetables and bring the liquid to a low boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, which is just below a boil (you’ll usually want to adjust your temperature to medium-low heat for this).
    8 cups chicken broth
  • Add the chicken breasts to the pot, making sure they are fully submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through (internal temperature should be 165°F).
    1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it or chop it up (we prefer the chopping method with this soup). Add the chicken back to the pot.
  • Add the raw egg noodles to the soup and cook for 7 to 8 minutes or until they are al dente.
    2 cups egg noodles
  • Slowly pour in the heavy cream until it is combined with the rest of the liquid. Tip: use room temperature heavy cream to ensure that it doesn’t curdle when going into the hot liquid.
    ½ cup heavy cream
  • Stir in the lemon juice and taste for seasoning. If you want more acidity, feel free to add another ½ tablespoon of lemon.
    ½ tbsp lemon juice
  • Ladle soup into bowls and serve with fresh ciabatta or baguette on the side for dipping.
    Fresh ciabatta or baguette