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Ingredients
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Broth and aromatics
Noodles and finishing
Method
Broth and aromatics
- 1
Prepare vegetables
Peel and halve the onion. Wash carrots and celery; trim ends. Slice carrots into 1/4-inch rounds and slice celery thinly. Smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and peel if needed.
- 2
Build the broth
In a large pot (at least 6-quart), combine 8 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water. Add the halved onion (root intact helps hold layers), sliced carrots, sliced celery, smashed garlic, 2 bay leaves, 3 thyme sprigs, 10 peppercorns, and 1 tsp salt. Place the raw chicken breasts into the liquid, submerging them.
- 3
Simmer gently
Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to low to maintain a bare simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 18–22 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through (internal temperature 165°F/74°C) and vegetables are tender.
- 4
Remove chicken and strain (optional)
Using tongs, lift the chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Remove and discard bay leaves, thyme stems, and onion halves (or reserve for shredding if desired). If you prefer a clear broth, strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, pressing gently on solids to extract flavor; return strained broth to the pot.
Noodles and finishing
- 5
Shred the chicken
When cool enough to handle (a few minutes), shred chicken with two forks or chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside.
- 6
Cook noodles in broth
Bring the strained or returned broth back to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil (this helps prevent foam and adds richness). Add 8 oz egg noodles and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender (typically 6–8 minutes for fresh/packaged egg noodles; follow package time if different).
- 7
Combine and season
When noodles are nearly done, add the shredded chicken back to the pot and warm through 1–2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt if needed (start with additional 1/2 tsp if necessary) and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice if using to brighten flavors.
- 8
Finish and serve
Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and a grind of black pepper. Serve hot.