Weeknight Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
It's everything you love about classic chicken noodle soup with a rich and creamy broth.
Serves6 to 8
Prep5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook25 minutes to 30 minutes
If chicken noodle soup gets your vote as the best comfort food (it gets mine!), you’ve got to try this version. It has everything you love about the classic — juicy shreds of chicken, oh-so-soft egg noodles, tender vegetables, and rich, herb-infused broth — plus a creamy upgrade that makes it ultra-cozy. Better yet, it comes together in a single pot and it’s easy enough to pull off on a weeknight, since the chicken breasts are poached directly in the pot with the vegetables and broth. It’s the most comforting meal I’ve eaten all year.
The Easiest, Creamiest Chicken Soup
To make a creamy, comforting broth, you’ll start by sprinkling some flour over the sautéed vegetables, which gives the broth a bit of added thickness. At the end of cooking, you have the option to stir in either whole milk or half-and-half. Both make for an equally delicious soup, with the half-and-half adding extra richness. Skip low-fat or nonfat milk, as they don’t add nearly as much flavor or creaminess.
To keep dirty dishes to a minimum, you’ll cook a few handfuls of dried egg noodles directly in the pot in the last few minutes of cooking. The noodles will continue softening in the broth after moving the pot off the burner, so it’s a good idea to leave them with a little bite rather than cooking all the way through. If you’re not eating the soup immediately, cook them separately when you’re ready to serve to avoid soggy noodles.
Weeknight Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
It's everything you love about classic chicken noodle soup with a rich and creamy broth.
Prep time 5 minutes to 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes to 30 minutes
Serves 6 to 8
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 1
medium yellow onion
- 3
medium celery stalks
- 2
medium carrots
- 2 cloves
garlic
- 2 pounds
boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 teaspoons
kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons
unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup
all-purpose flour
- 6 cups
low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 1 teaspoon
dried thyme
- 1
bay leaf
- 2 cups
dried egg noodles
- 1 cup
whole milk or half-and-half
Instructions
Prepare the following vegetables, adding them all to the same bowl: Dice 1 medium yellow onion and 3 medium celery stalks, peel and cut 2 medium carrots into 1/2-inch thick rounds, and mince 2 garlic cloves.
Season 2 pounds chicken breasts all over with 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the onion mixture and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, stir to coat the vegetables, and cook for 1 minute.
Pour in 1 cup of the chicken broth and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pot, until no lumps from the flour remain.
Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and add the chicken breasts to the empty space, arranging them in a single layer. Add 1 teaspoon dried thyme and 1 bay leaf, then pour in the remaining 5 cups chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Uncover, reduce the heat, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, 8 to 12 minutes.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let cool slightly. Meanwhile, add 2 cups egg noodles to the soup and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 5 minutes.
Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with 2 forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the soup. Stir in 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days.