Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
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Craving a comforting, homemade bowl of chicken noodle soup? This easy homestyle chicken noodle soup recipe combines tender chicken, savory broth, egg noodles, dill, and lemon for the best cozy comfort food. Perfect for sick days or cold winter nights.
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The only change I made was using orzo b/c I was out of noodles, but I liked it even better than traditional noodles personally. (I’m a chicken and rice fan but use noodles for the rest of the family).
It’s the dead of winter. 33 degrees F all week. Snow and ice piles everywhere. And it’s only January, meaning we basically have about 3-4 months of winter left.
And now that I am officially a Midwest resident, that basically translates to having this chicken noodle soup on the regular all. winter. long. It’s so warm, so cozy, and so soothing during these chilly nights.
Now this recipe uses bone-in, skinless chicken breasts which means it will take a little longer than usual for the chicken to cook through but it will yield the most flavorful stock and the most tender chicken bites (so it’s absolutely worth the extra time), doctored up with fresh dill and freshly squeezed lemon juice for a little bit of jazz. SO SO GOOD.
Tips for Perfect Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- 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 bone-in chicken. While boneless, skinless chicken can certainly be used, bone-in chicken will add a ton more flavor and richness to the soup while keeping the meat tender.
- Use egg noodles. Egg noodles are typically a top choice as they are flat and wide, becoming very tender and fluffy, easily absorbing the broth and soaking in all the flavors.
- 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.
For the best chicken noodle soup recipe, use bone-in chicken breasts for rich flavor and tender meat, paired with fresh dill and lemon juice.
Use a Dutch oven for even cooking and a deeper, heartier broth.
Chicken Noodle Soup with Dill and Lemon
Fresh dill and lemon juice elevate homestyle chicken noodle soup, adding brightness and balancing the savory broth. These simple ingredients turn this into the best chicken noodle soup recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
What to Serve with Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
- Easy No Knead Bread
- No Knead Rosemary Bread
- Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls
- Easy Skillet Dinner Rolls
- Easy Garlic Parmesan Knots
Chicken Noodle Soup Variations
Try variations like chicken noodle soup with orzo, wide egg noodles, or even a creamy chicken noodle soup version. Each adds a different twist while keeping the homestyle comfort food feel.
Tools You Need for the Best Chicken Noodle Soup
Dutch oven – best for simmering broth, ladle – for serving, sharp knife – for prepping chicken and veggies, tongs – for handling chicken.
Chicken Noodle Soup: Frequently Asked Questions
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.
You can use either chicken broth or chicken stock but always season, to taste, as store-bought broth is often saltier than store-bought stock. Broth is made from meat and vegetables while stock is often lower sodium and thicker than broth, and is made from bones and vegetables.
Egg noodles are a common choice for chicken noodle soup but elbow macaroni, orzo, ditalini or fettuccine (broken in bite-sized pieces) can be used as well.
The egg noodles are cooked directly in the soup, absorbing all the flavorful broth. But if you are planning for leftovers or freezing, the noodles should be cooked and stored separately.
Yes! You can freeze the leftovers without the noodles (or else they will get mushy) in individual freezer bags, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stovetop, adding freshly cooked noodles when serving.
Yes, you can make chicken noodle soup ahead of time! It actually tastes better the next day after the flavors have had time to meld together. If you plan to make it in advance, store the soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Just remember to cook the noodles separately if you’re making it in advance, as they can become too soft when reheated in the soup.
Egg noodles are traditional, but orzo, ditalini, or fettuccine (broken) also work.
Yes, chicken thighs add more flavor and stay juicier than chicken breasts in chicken noodle soup.
Yes, freeze the broth and chicken separately, and cook noodles fresh when reheating.
You can add a cornstarch slurry or extra flour for a heartier broth.
Yes, store in the fridge for up to 4 days, but keep noodles separate to avoid mushiness.
How to Make Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- Kosher salt freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 ½ pounds bone-in, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 ½ cups wide egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more, to taste
Equipment
Instructions
- Melt butter 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 until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Add chicken and bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30-40 minutes. Remove chicken and let cool before dicing into bite-size pieces, discarding bones.
- Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 6-7 minutes.
- Remove from heat; stir in parsley, dill and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve immediately.
Video
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Very good recipe! So easy and simple, yet flavorful! I used chicken breast without the bone and just took it out on the earlier side. Also I like to add chopped rosemary and big chunks of fresh ginger to season the broth.
My favorite recipe for chicken noodle soup. Absolutely delicious. I just add more noodles.
Absolutely delicious! No changes made! The fresh herbs really bring it to the next level. Everyone loved it!!
Didn’t change a thing. This is the best chicken noodle soup I’ve had in a long time and it couldn’t have been easier. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe!
This recipe is EVERYTHING I could have asked for. Full of flavor, and easy to throw together! Thank you for this!
I used a rotisserie chicken, so just added it with a couple minutes left for the pasta to finish. This is a great cold weather recipe!
Offered to make soup for a friend having surgery. I followed to a T. I was about to add chicken and noodles when I realized the veggies were over cooked. I’ve taken them out with a strainer and will probably add some fresh? No one else put this in their comments. I even cooked chicken less? The broth is delicious as I added my turkey broth from Thanksgiving. I don’t want to ruin with mushy veggies.
Wow, best flavor I’ve ever tasted in chicken noodle soup. As stated in recipe Bone in chicken breast a must! Thank you for this recipe. I can always count on your content!
Absolutely love this recipe. I have made this A LOT! Usually I double the recipe; it makes 7.5 quarts that way. Plenty to enjoy and give away. I only make two small changes: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and chicken bone broth (I find both to be more naturally flavorful. The bone broth has substantially more salt in it though, so I cut back on what I add). It keeps well in the fridge for several days. Make this! It’s savory and lovely every single time.
JUST WHAT I NEEDED! To speed things up since I’m sick, I shredded a rotisserie chicken from the store, cut down on the boiling time since chicken was pre-cooked, used a single (12 oz?) bag of frozen mirepoix instead of fresh veggies, used water + bouillon in place of the broth, used dried dill weed and dried parsley (2 tsp each), and this warmed my heart and belly. SO GOOD. And I hate dill pickles, but the dill in here added a really nice flavor! This recipe is a keeper.
Delicious. Used no salt added chicken broth, then salt to taste. Dill and lemon was great addition. Will make bigger batch next time.
I just use better than bouillon in the water, no salt needed 🙂
Thank you so much, had to make it for my head cold. Doesn’t even need the noodles!
John 3:16
Good soup, but I had to add some thyme.
This was delicious I hope you don’t mind if I share what I added!
I sautéed the seasonings with the butter!
One clove
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
A a couple pinches of dried chives
A dash of powdered sage
a pinch of Oregano
Italian seasoning to taste
I didn’t use dill!
Followed the directions to a T! My hubby and I LOVE this recipe. The fresh parsley and dill really make a difference. I highly recommend adding a little cayenne at the end for an extra “kick!”
That really was “Damn Delicious”!!! My wife said it was the best chicken soup she’s ever had (she loves chicken soup), and I have to agree. I used a combination of bone-in thighs and boneless breast, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Great recipe!
Wow! This was the best homemade chicken noodle soup I have ever tasted and made.
So clean and flavorful! A 10 in our house and will be my go to.
Thank you for sharing.
Just finished having this soup as a light dinner. This is the BEST chicken soup recipe I’ve ever made!! Great combo of seasonings. Everyone in my family has finally agreed on a recipe being great, to keep, and make again. This is a keeper and the only recipe for chicken soup I’ll be making from now on. I’ve definitely found a new recipe website and it will now be my “go to” from now on. Thanks!!
Very easy to make and tasted great!
I have made this recipe several times and I have gotten rave reviews every time I’ve made this. I will admit that I don’t usually add the lemon or the dill and this is probably a mistake, but I still love it. A couple of times I’ve used cheese tortellini instead of the egg noodles and that’s been tasty as well. Highly recommend this recipe.