Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
A comforting bowl of grandma’s chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles and classic vegetables that will always be there for you, even on the coldest nights.
Would you like to save this page?
You’re Going To Love Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Who doesn’t love a classic bowl of chicken noodle soup? Especially when made with grandma’s homemade noodles.
This easy chicken soup recipe can come together quickly with simple ingredients and vegetables you likely already have on hand. This is a great family meal.
If you love soups like this as much as I do, check out my soup and stew recipes, like my golden glow soup, vegetable beef barley soup, and green bean soup.
Feel free to make this soup with German Spaetzle instead of these egg noodles!
Equipment
- A soup pot.
- Sharp knife, cutting board, bowl, whisk, and rolling pin if making the noodles from scratch.
Ingredients
Simple ingredients make for an excellent, simple soup recipe. You can play around with additional herbs if you want.
- Chicken Bone Broth or Stock | A flavorful homemade stock is best, like my chicken feet bone broth recipe. If using store-bought, opt for a low-sodium version if possible.
- Chicken | Shredded or cubed chicken meat. You can use a leftover roasted or rotisserie chicken. You can use raw chicken and cook it in the broth first. Smoked chicken adds a lovely flavor.
- Egg Noodles | A batch of homemade egg noodles. I urge you to try my easy egg noodle recipe, which are best cooked directly in the broth towards the end.
- Onions, Carrots, & Celery | The classic mirepoix trio of vegetables and aromatics. They will be simmered in oil or fat to coax out their sweetness.
- Herbs | I will use thyme (lemon thyme is also great), bay leaf, and freshly chopped parsley at the end. Lovage is an excellent addition if you have it.
- Salt + Pepper | To taste. Salt should be added carefully depending on if the base stock is salted or not.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup Instructions
- Step-by-step instructions (with photos), for the egg noodles and the soup.
- For instructions on how to make this soup with store-bought dried noodles, see the recipe card notes.
Make The Egg Noodles
Basic Egg Noodle Instructions:
- Whisk flour and salt together and then make a mound. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg and oil. Using a fork, stir the egg, gradually bringing in some of the flour until all of the flour is incorporated. You may need to knead it with your hands towards the end to capture all the flour.
- Knead the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.
- Dust the dough lightly with more flour and enclose it in plastic wrap. Set aside to relax for 30-45 minutes.
- After it has had time to relax, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut the circle in half. Cut across the halves to make noodles 1/4 inch wide. Let the noodles air dry for 30 minutes as you start to prepare the soup. Cook as directed above.
See my detailed homemade egg noodle recipe at that link for more in-depth instructions on making these noodles with step-by-step photos if you need extra help.
Chicken Soup Instructions
Step 1: Wash and prep your vegetables. Gather your ingredients and have them on hand.
Step 2: Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until translucent in butter, lard, or olive oil.
Step 3: Add stock and bring to a boil before quickly lowering to a simmer, taste for salt and adjust. Add a bay leaf and pepper to taste. Add thyme if using. Simmer until vegetables are nearly softened, which should take 15-20 minutes.
If poaching raw chicken breast to shred, add it after the stock comes to a boil. It will need about 10-12 minutes to fully cook.
If using cooked chicken, shred or cube it first, and add it when the vegetables are nearly softened and at the same time you add the egg noodles.
Step 4: Add the noodles and simmer gently for about 7 minutes, until al dente.
Taste again and adjust the salt and pepper.
Take off the heat, add parsley, and serve.
Hint: lemon thyme or a squeeze of fresh lemon work well in soup, so do a couple of drops of tobacco in each bowl. Homemade egg noodles cooked directly in the broth will give the soup broth a lovely fullness and texture, but if you want a thicker broth, you can make a cornstarch slurry: start by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, add it towards the end of cooking and add more if needed.
Storage, Freezing, & Reheating
This soup will stay fresh and tasty for up to 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator. Because of the noodles, the broth may become thicker once reheated.
To reheat soup: ladle your desired portion into a medium pot and heat it on low until it reaches the desired temperature. Stay close by and stir, adding a splash of water or stock as needed in case the soup has thickened too much in storage.
To freeze soup: soups make great freezer meals and they can be heated directly from their frozen state too. Ladle soup into plastic freezer-safe heavy-duty bags, silicone bags, or large silicone souper cube trays (my favorite; they’re amazing). If using plastic, let the soup come down to room temperature first.
I do not recommend freezing noodles with the broth but it can be done.
FAQ
Starting with a mirepoix and a flavorful high-quality broth is the best way. Adding fresh herbs like thyme, lemon thyme, lovage, and parsley also helps. Ensure you’re using enough salt. Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon or a dash of vinegar can also help balance flavors and bring them out to their best. Some people will add a bullion cube, or several, to get a more pronounced flavor. Most spices labeled ‘chicken seasoning’ rely on MSG and not seasonings.
Cooking homemade fresh noodles directly in the broth will thicken it. If using dried store-bought noodles or pasta, I recommend cooking them separately in salted water according to the package directions but taking them out 2 minutes early to finish cooking directly in the chicken soup. In my experience, dried noodles change the flavor of the broth and the consistency in a way that I don’t like; you’re free to try it both ways. See how to thicken soups and stews.
Cook the noodles, whether homemade or store-bought, separately, and keep them separate. Add the cooked noodles to bowls and ladle soup into the bowls right before serving. If cooking them directly in the broth, ensure you only add them at the end of the cooking time and cook until al dente according to package or recipe diretions.
Ingredients
For The Chicken Soup:
- 2 quarts chicken stock or broth homemade preferred, low-sodium store bought.
- 2 cups chicken meat shredded or cubed
- 1 large onion diced.
- 2 large carrots sliced diagonally.
- 2 ribs celery diced.
- 1 batch homemade egg noodles or package of store bought edd noodles or pasta.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped.
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried.
- 1 bay leaf
- salt and pepper to taste.
For The Egg Noodles
- ¾ cup unbleached all-purpose flour or 00 flour.
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
Instructions
Make The Egg Noodles
- Whisk flour and salt together and then make a mound. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the egg and oil. Using a fork, stir the egg, gradually bringing in some of the flour until all of the flour is incorporated. You may need to knead it with your hands towards the end to capture all the flour.
- Knead the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Dust the dough lightly with more flour and enclose it in plastic wrap. Set aside to relax for 30-45 minutes.
- After it has had time to relax, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface. Cut the circle in half. Cut across the halves to make noodles ¼ inch wide. Let the noodles air dry for 30 minutes as you start to prepare the soup. See my detailed article with step-by-photos: homemade egg noodles.
Make The Soup
- Wash and prep your vegetables. Gather your ingredients and have them on hand.
- Sauté onions, carrots, and celery until translucent in butter, lard, or olive oil on low heat. This should take 5-8 minutes. You don't want them golden brown.
- Add stock and bring to a boil before quickly lowering heat to a simmer. Taste for salt and adjust. Add a bay leaf. Add pepper to taste. Add thyme if using. Simmer until vegetables are nearly softened, which should take 15-20 minutes.
- When vegetables are nearly done after 20 minutes, add the shredded or cubed cooked chicken and the homemade egg noodles. Cook for 7 more minutes until noodles are al dente.
- Taste again and adjust the salt and pepper. Take off the heat, add parsley, and serve hot.