If a meal could feel like a hug, this chicken soup from scratch would be it. It has a rich, simmered-all-day flavor, but it comes together in under an hour thanks to a few easy techniques. With tender shredded chicken, loads of vegetables, a luscious broth and perfectly cooked noodles, it’s the ultimate (easy!) homemade chicken noodle soup.
Chicken soup from scratch - fast!
Whenever somebody in my house is feeling down or is starting to get the sniffles, I turn to this soup. It’s nourishing yet light, with an old fashioned taste just like grandma’s. The secret is to use bone-in chicken thighs, which cook more quickly than a whole chicken, while still enriching the broth. Removing the chicken skin before cooking ensures that the broth stays clear, not greasy.
Other ingredients:
- Onion, carrot and celery: The classic trinity of onion, carrot and celery not only give the soup flavor, but also texture. You can chop them the day before to get a jump-start on the recipe.
- Garlic and thyme: Garlic and thyme give the soup depth.
- Low-sodium chicken broth and water: Store-bought broth gives the soup instant richness, while water lends purity, allowing the flavors of the vegetables to shine through.
- Noodles: You can use any noodles you like in this soup, regular or gluten-free!
- Lemon juice and parsley: The soup is finished with a spritz of fresh lemon juice and a sprinkle of parsley. They brighten the soup and enhance the other flavors.
How to make chicken soup from scratch, step by step:
- In a large pot, cook diced onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until softened. Add chopped garlic and thyme, and cook 30 seconds longer.
- Remove the skin from bone-in chicken thighs, then nestle them into the pot.
- Pour in chicken broth and water, and add a bay leaf.
- Bring the soup to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is tender, 15-20 minutes (skim off any foam that rises to the surface). Transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board and shred the meat using two forks.
- Scrape the meat back into the pot and bring the soup back to a simmer. Add noodles and cook until tender. Finish the soup with chopped parsley and fresh lemon juice.
Slow cooker variation
To make this homemade chicken soup in a slow cooker, sauté the onion, carrots, celery and garlic as directed in the recipe. Scrape them into a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, and add the remaining ingredients, except for the noodles, lemon juice and parsley. Cook until the chicken is fork tender and pulls easily off the bone, about 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. In the meantime, cook the pasta in a pot on the stove according to the package directions. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Scrape the meat back into the slow cooker, along with the cooked noodles, lemon juice and parsley. Season to taste and serve!
How to keep the soup broth clear:
A few easy tricks help ensure that your chicken soup broth stays clear:
- Discard the chicken skin before beginning—this will prevent the broth from turning greasy.
- Cook the soup at a gentle simmer. If the soup is boiled, it will turn cloudy.
- Skim the top of the soup of any foam as it cooks (if the soup boils, the foam will get reincorporated, resulting in a cloudy broth—see above!).
- You can also let the soup sit for 10-15 minutes before serving. This will allow any particles in the broth to settle at the bottom of the pot.
FAQs
You can amp up the flavor of your chicken soup by adding a parmesan cheese rind to the broth before simmering. The rind will impart a rich, umami flavor. You can also add a sprinkle of chili flakes for heat, or you can swap out the thyme for curry powder and ginger.
Yes! As long as you simmer the soup until the chicken is fully cooked, it is perfectly safe. In fact, it will give the soup even more flavor.
Bone-in chicken thighs are ideal for homemade chicken soup, as they cook much faster than a whole chicken, but they still enrich the broth with loads of flavor.
I prefer a robust noodle, such as rotini or fusilli, which hold up well in leftover soup without turning mushy (you can use regular or gluten free noodles). However, egg noodles are also fabulous, but take note that they won't hold up as well in leftovers.
Tips for making homemade chicken noodle soup:
- This chicken soup from scratch can be cooked in a large pot, dutch oven or even slow cooker (see above for slow cooking instructions)!
- Be sure to sauté the onions, carrots and celery until they're soft and tender before adding the rest of the ingredients. This will draw out the most flavor.
- Bone-in chicken thighs create a rich, cooked-all-day flavor. Be sure to remove the skin before adding the thighs, otherwise the soup will be greasy. (You could use bone-in chicken breasts if you prefer, but the meat won't be as juicy and tender.)
- Finishing the soup with fresh lemon juice and parsley brightens up all the flavors.
- Season the soup well with salt and pepper, which are critical for flavor.
- Feel free to add in other flavors or spices! You could add a Parmigiano Reggiano rind to enrich the broth; swap out the thyme for ginger and curry powder; and/or throw in a few handfuls of spinach at the end!
*This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting From Scratch Fast!
Other soups to try:
- Mexican Chicken & White Bean Soup
- Savory Sweet Potato Soup
- Blender Tomato Soup
- Vegan Sweet Potato Soup with Frizzled Kale, Apples & Peanuts
- Roasted Squash Soup with Coconut & Curry
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Chicken Soup from Scratch (in Under an Hour!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 4 medium carrots, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 4 medium stalks celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 ¼ pounds), skin removed and discarded
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 bay leaf
- 3-4 ounces noodles (regular or gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5-7 minutes.
- Scrape in the garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken thighs, broth, water and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, and skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Let simmer, for 15-20 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through and tender.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Coarsely shred the meat. Transfer the meat back into the pot, and bring the soup back to a simmer. Add the noodles. Simmer until the noodles are tender (the cooking time will vary according to the type of noodles you use).
- Stir in the lemon juice and parsley, and season well with salt and pepper.
Notes
- This soup can be cooked in a large pot, dutch oven or even slow cooker (see above for slow cooking instructions)!
- Be sure to sauté the onions, carrots and celery until they're soft and tender before adding the rest of the ingredients. This will draw out the most flavor.
- Bone-in chicken thighs create a rich, cooked-all-day flavor. Be sure to remove the skin before adding the thighs, otherwise the soup will be greasy. (You could use bone-in chicken breasts if you prefer, but the meat will be drier.)
- Finishing the soup with fresh lemon juice and parsley brightens up all the flavors.
- Season the soup well with salt and pepper, which are critical for flavor.
- Feel free to add in other flavors or spices! You could add a Parmigiano Reggiano rind to enrich the broth; swap out the thyme for ginger and curry powder; and/or throw in a few handfuls of spinach at the end!
- Slow Cooker Variation: To make this homemade chicken soup in a slow cooker, sauté the onion, carrots, celery and garlic as directed in the recipe. Scrape them into a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker, and add the remaining ingredients, except for the noodles, lemon juice and parsley. Cook until the chicken is fork tender and pulls easily off the bone, about 6-8 hours on low or 4-5 hours on high. In the meantime, cook the pasta in a pot on the stove according to the package directions. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred the meat, discarding the bones. Scrape the meat back into the slow cooker, along with the cooked noodles, lemon juice and parsley. Season to taste and serve!
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