Cold Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup
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The most soothing, comforting soup for flu season! So easy to make, you’ll be feeling better in no time!
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As flu season is among us, this chicken soup has been an absolute god-send. The veggies and garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lemon juice combo here does absolute wonders and has you feeling better and back on your feet in no time. It’s just so darn cozy and soothing, and it just warms your soul in so many ways.
why i love cold fighting chicken noodle soup
- Best kind of shortcut chicken soup that doesn’t require an entire chicken or hours of simmering
- Nourishing, brothy, soothing and satisfying even when I’m not sick
- Packed with so many cozy, healing, anti-inflammatory ingredients
- Amazingly freezer-friendly, perfect to have it ready to go next time I’m feeling under the weather
tips and tricks for success
- Use good-quality stock. The better quality your stock, the better your soup. Many brands love to pack in the salt so always opt for unsalted or a lower-sodium variety. Homemade stock is even better.
- Use ginger and lemongrass. Ginger and lemongrass are a powerhouse for colds. Both have anti-inflammatory properties, soothing sore throats and alleviating cold symptoms.
- Fresh herbs are best. Although you can certainly substitute dried herbs, fresh herbs are ideal here, delivering the best kind of flavor.
- Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Lemon juice will elevate your chicken noodle soup, adding a fresh, bright flavor and balancing out all the saltiness and richness of the soup.
more chicken noodle soup recipes
Tools For This Recipe
Dutch oven
Cold Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken breasts can absolutely be used here but chicken thighs have more dark meat and a higher fat content which will yield juicier, more flavorful chicken.
If you cannot find fresh lemongrass, lemongrass paste will do wonders here.
Absolutely! But because dried herbs are often more potent/concentrated than fresh herbs, you need less when using dry. The correct ratio is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs to 1 teaspoon dried herbs.
Orzo, rotini or even elbow macaroni are great subs for the ditalini pasta.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the pasta (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked pasta when serving.
Cold Fighting Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 5 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ¾ cup ditalini pasta
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Equipment
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Stir in garlic, ginger, lemongrass, thyme and rosemary until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in chicken stock, bay leaves and 1 cup water. Add chicken and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. Remove chicken and shred, using two forks; set aside.
- Stir in pasta and cook until tender, about 8-10 minutes.
- Stir in chicken and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately, garnished with chives, if desired.
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This Soup has not only the taste factor, but the smell is so wonderful. I made this for my daughter who had covid and it sure opened up her sinuses. Now I’m going to make it for the Staff where I work! Wowlois
This soup is one of our staples. We find if we keep the lemongrass out, the flavor is perfect (for us). Love it!
This soup was so good! Broth was so flavorful and delicious. I used bow tie pasta because that’s what I had and it was still perfect
I’ve made this several times and it is truly the best! Is it possible to make this it my crockpot? Thank you
So good and ready in the time indicated on the recipe. I added a few things to use up stuff in the fridge: baby spinach, sliced mushrooms, and a cup of beef broth in place of the water. I used baby shells as that’s what I had on hand and added a can of cannellini beans for bulk as I was a little shy of a whole pound of chicken thighs. I cooked the pasta separately so it wouldn’t soak up all the broth in the leftovers and added a sprinkle of turmeric and red pepper flakes as well. Hubby had seconds and he’s not a soup guy, so this one’s a keeper!
My husband and I both have terrible colds and this soup literally warmed our souls. I couldn’t find ditalini so I used elbow macaroni and it was awesome.
I literally just made this right now. It is SO GOOD! I love the brightness from the lemon. I’m going to make this all winter!
Excellent! Each flavor bursts through and the aroma fills the house. Perfect for a cold, rainy day.
This is perfect for the cold weather. Thanks
It’s a myth that cold weather makes us sick (likely Chungha caught something on the plane or in the stadium) but the healing powers of chicken soup have certainly been proven. And the deliciousness of this recipe have definitely been validated by my family. My son came down with a sore throat and sniffles, and this soup was just what the doctor ordered! He loved it and was happy to eat two servings at lunch and dinner. I would suggest that cooks add your lemon juice a bit at a time as lemoni-ness is very subjective and sizes of lemons vary so much. My son thought it was way too lemony so I just added more chicken broth. We all loved it and will be making it again soon – colds or not.
I made this recipe last night, no changes, it was perfect and delicious! TOP NOTCH! THANKS!!
This was SERIOUSLY delicious and just what my fiancé needed as we’ve both had the sniffles the past few days. Only things I did different was using bone broth and adding a tsp of turmeric. But other than that followed the recipe to a T and it came out perfect. Definitely keeping this bookmarked for the next time we get sick. 🙂
Man that was good soup. I added a little more garlic and a little more Ginger and enjoyed it very much. I will make this again
It was so delicious and cosy. Thank youuuu ❤️
I love it. I was super liberal with garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Lemon juice is a must! I also shook some cayenne pepper at the end.
My gosh!! What an EXCELLENT recipe !!!! And you know what … no one had one bit of of indegestion maybe the ginger???? I
used chicken bone broth and juice from my boiled chicken leg quarters.
It’s been raining all day and super gloomy and I found this recipe on Pinterest because I wanted cozy comfort food. It certainly did not disappoint. I served it with a side of toasted challah bread points and we were all so comforted by this amazing soup. I love the fresh ingredients and flavor combinations.
Delicious! Partner and I where not feeling great from the flu and after this we honestly feel so much better! Even my 17m old daughter loved it!
This is terrific! I am so glad I doubled the batch! Thanks for the recipe!
I altered the recipe by adding brown rice instead of noodles.
I’ve never made Chicken Soup with ginger, and lemongrass – it’s so tasty! Thank you
The best chicken soup I’ve ever made.