When it’s chilly outside or you’re feeling under the weather, nothing is quite as comforting as a big bowl of soup. Especially when it involves noodles and reminds you of childhood. This super delicious and adaptable chicken noodle soup recipe can be made a few ways — 1) keep it classic, 2) include the optional ginger and turmeric for extra immune support, or 3) replace some of the chicken with white beans for a fiber boost!
Made in 1 pot with 10 simple ingredients, this soup is the answer for weeknight meals, chilly weather, and incorporating more homemade broth, or to have on hand whenever you’re craving comfort in a bowl. Let’s make soup!
History of Chicken Noodle Soup
Versions of chicken soup have been enjoyed around the world for centuries and have a long history of use as a remedy for colds and other illnesses.
Most chicken soup recipes consist of chicken broth, chicken meat, vegetables, and some form of starch — noodles, dumplings, root vegetables, or grains. And though noodles in chicken soup existed long before the 1900s, the term “chicken noodle soup” is thought to have originated from a radio advertisem*nt by Campbell’s Soup Company in the 1930s.
The following is our inspired version with options for keeping it classic, infusing with healing spices, or bulking it up with beans.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup
Just like classic chicken noodle soup, this version begins with sautéing onions, carrots, celery, and garlic for a flavorful base. You can cut them any size you want, but we love small, bite-sized pieces.
Inspired by the “Medicinal Chicken Noodle Soup” from Food Front Co-Op in Portland, we love adding ginger and turmeric to this soup. Thyme is also lovely! Not only do these herbs and spices contribute healing properties, but they also add delicious flavor.
- Ginger – best known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea effects
- Turmeric – rich in a potent anti-inflammatory compound called curcumin
- Thyme – has a long history of use for supporting respiratory health
Next come the flavor essentials: salt and pepper plus your choice of broth or stock. We love the robust flavor of homemade (bone broth or Instant Pot), but store-bought works just fine, too!
Then for the chicken, you can use either breast or thigh meat. It cooks in the broth, infusing it with flavor and making it easy to shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. Or if you have leftover cooked chicken around, you can repurpose it by adding it to the soup a little later in the cooking process.
All that’s left to do is add your favorite noodles and slurp any sickness away! Note that if you’re not serving the soup right away, it’s best to keep the noodles separate so they hold their texture.
We hope you LOVE this chicken noodle soup! It’s:
Comforting
Brothy
Flavorful
Nourishing
Adaptable
& SO easy!
What to Serve with Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle soup is pretty much the definition of comfort in a bowl, but if you want to step up the comfort level even more, pair it with your favorite carb-y side! Think flatbread, biscuits, garlic bread, roasted potatoes, or even a simple slice of buttered toast.
If you’re feeling more in a veggie mood, try it with a side of roasted cabbage, kale salad, or arugula salad.
More Comforting Soup Recipes
- Cozy Thai-Inspired Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy 1-Pot Black Bean Soup
- 1-Pot Chickpea Noodle Soup
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo#minimalistbakeron Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Chicken Noodle Soup (Classic or Immune-Boosting!)
Nourishing chicken noodle soup made in 1 pot with 10 simple ingredients. Comforting, brothy, and bursting with flavor. Gluten-free optional!
Author Minimalist Baker
Print SAVE
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour
Servings 6 (~2 cup servings)
Course Entrée, Soup
Cuisine Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free
Freezer Friendly 1 Month (without noodles)
Does it keep? 3-4 Days (keep noodles separate)
Ingredients
US Customary – Metric
NOODLES
- 8 oz. pasta of choice (gluten-free friendly as needed // we like fusilli or bowtie)
- 1 Tbsp salt
SOUP
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 large yellow or white onion, diced (1 large onion yields ~3 cups or 450 g)
- 3 stalks celery, finely chopped (3 stalks yield ~1 ¾ cups or 230 g)
- 3 medium carrots, finely chopped (3 carrots yield ~ 1 ¼ cups or 150 g)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 Tbsp freshly minced ginger (optional)
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or double the amount if using fresh)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (optional)
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 8 cups chicken broth or stock (homemade for best flavor // or sub bone broth or store-bought)
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (organic, pasture-raised when possible // or sub 2-3 cups leftover roasted chicken // or two 15-oz. cans drained white beans for a fiber boost)
GARNISH optional
- Freshly chopped parsley
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 Tbsp salt to the water for more flavorful pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. Then drain, toss in a little olive oil to prevent sticking (optional), and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking, chop the veggies. Or if they’re already chopped, you can cook them in a separate pot while the pasta is cooking to speed up the process.
Heat the (now empty) large pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil, onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and ginger (optional) and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in the thyme, turmeric (optional), salt, and pepper and cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth, raw chicken thighs or breasts (if using pre-cooked chicken, add it in step 6), and white beans (if using). Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (cook time will depend on the size of the chicken thighs or breasts and how quickly the broth comes to a simmer).
When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and shred or dice into bite-sized pieces. Return the chicken to the soup and cook for 1-2 minutes longer. If using pre-cooked chicken, add it at this time. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the pasta between bowls, ladle in the soup, and garnish with fresh parsley (optional). Enjoy warm.
Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or in the freezer up to 1 month — store noodles and soup separately for best texture. Reheat soup in a saucepan until warm.
Video
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with gluten-free brown rice noodles, store-bought chicken broth, chicken breasts, and without optional ingredients. It was also calculated with less salt because not all the salt in the pasta water gets absorbed.
*Inspired by Food Front Co-Op‘s Medicinal Chicken Noodle Soup and adapted from our 1-Pot Chickpea Noodle Soup.
Nutrition (1 of 6 servings)
Serving: 1 serving Calories: 296 Carbohydrates: 37.9 g Protein: 23.1 g Fat: 5.7 g Saturated Fat: 0.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9 g Monounsaturated Fat: 2.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 62 mg Sodium: 408 mg Potassium: 504 mg Fiber: 2.9 g Sugar: 2.8 g Vitamin A: 5214 IU Vitamin C: 4.9 mg Calcium: 41 mg Iron: 1.2 mg
