Chicken Noodle Soup Homemade

The kitchen smelled like butter and flour the afternoon I decided to stop buying dried noodles. I had chicken simmering on the stove and twenty minutes to spare, so I cracked two eggs into a mound of flour and started kneading. The dough came together faster than I expected, and when those soft ribbons hit the broth, I knew I'd never go back.

I made this soup the week my neighbor had surgery, and when I brought over a container, she called me two hours later just to say the noodles reminded her of her grandmother's kitchen. I hadn't expected that, but it's stayed with me ever since.

Ingredients

• Olive oil: Use enough to coat the bottom of the pot so the vegetables can soften without sticking.
• Onion, carrots, celery: This trio builds the backbone of the broth, so don't rush the sauté or you'll lose that sweet, mellow flavor.
• Garlic cloves: Add them after the vegetables soften or they'll burn and turn bitter.
• Chicken stock: Homemade is ideal, but a good-quality store-bought version works if you're pressed for time.
• Bay leaves and thyme: These quiet herbs deepen the flavor without shouting, so don't skip them.
• Bone-in chicken: The bones add richness to the broth as it simmers, and the meat stays tender when you shred it.
• All-purpose flour: Regular flour works perfectly for noodles, no need for anything fancy.
• Eggs: They bind the dough and give the noodles that tender bite.
• Fresh parsley: A handful stirred in at the end brightens the whole pot.

Instructions

Mix the noodle dough:

Combine flour and salt in a bowl, then create a little well in the center for the eggs, water, and oil. Stir it together until it's shaggy, then turn it out onto your counter and knead until it feels smooth and elastic, about five to seven minutes.

Let the dough rest:

Wrap it in plastic and let it sit for twenty minutes while you start the soup. This rest makes rolling easier and the noodles more tender.

Roll and cut the noodles:

Roll the dough thin, about an eighth of an inch, then slice it into narrow ribbons. Lay them out on a floured surface so they don't stick together.

Sauté the vegetables:

Heat olive oil in a large pot, then add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook them gently until they soften and start to smell sweet, about five minutes, then stir in the garlic for just a minute.

Build the broth:

Pour in the chicken stock, add bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper, then nestle the chicken pieces into the liquid. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about thirty-five minutes.

Shred the chicken:

Remove the chicken to a plate, discard the bay leaves, and pull the meat into bite-sized pieces. Toss the bones.

Cook the noodles:

Bring the broth back to a gentle boil and drop in the noodles. They'll cook in five to eight minutes, turning soft and slippery.

Finish and serve:

Return the shredded chicken to the pot, taste the broth, and adjust the salt and pepper. Stir in fresh parsley right before ladling it into bowls.

Save

One winter evening, I served this to a table full of friends who'd been stuck inside during a snowstorm. We ate two pots of it, and someone said it tasted like the kind of thing you'd want waiting for you after a long day. That's exactly what it became for me.

Make-Ahead Tips

You can prep the noodles a few hours ahead and leave them on a floured sheet pan in the fridge. The soup base also reheats beautifully, though I like to cook the noodles fresh if I have the time so they stay tender.

Swaps and Variations

If you don't have bone-in chicken, boneless thighs work fine, just simmer them for less time so they don't dry out. You can also toss in a handful of peas or corn toward the end for color and a little sweetness.

Serving Suggestions

This soup doesn't need much alongside it, but a slice of crusty bread or a simple green salad rounds out the meal nicely. On colder nights, I've poured a glass of crisp white wine and called it dinner.

• Serve it in deep bowls so you can get a good spoonful of broth with every bite.
• Leftovers thicken as the noodles absorb the liquid, so add a splash of stock when reheating.
• A squeeze of lemon juice right before serving can wake up the flavors if the soup has been sitting.

Save

This soup has become the thing I make when I need to feel like myself again. It's simple, honest, and always tastes like home.

Recipe FAQs

→ How do you make homemade noodles tender?

Knead the dough until smooth, let it rest for 20 minutes, then roll thin and slice evenly. Cooking freshly cut noodles in simmering broth ensures a tender texture.

→ What’s the best way to shred chicken for this dish?

After cooking, remove chicken from broth, discard bones, and shred meat into bite-sized pieces using two forks for easy shredding.

→ Can I add other vegetables to enhance flavor?

Yes, adding peas or corn adds sweetness and color, complementing the carrots, celery, and onion already in the dish.

→ How is the broth made flavorful and rich?

Sautéing aromatics like onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in olive oil before adding stock and herbs builds a deep, savory base for the broth.

→ What garnishes enhance this dish’s freshness?

Freshly chopped parsley added just before serving brightens the flavors and adds a pleasant herbal note.