Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Make the broth

Place the whole chicken or chicken parts in a large stockpot. Add 10 cups cold water to cover. Add halved onion, 2 halved carrots, 2 halved celery stalks, smashed garlic, parsley sprigs, bay leaves, peppercorns and 2 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim any foam that rises to the surface during the first 10–15 minutes with a slotted spoon.

Simmer gently, uncovered or partially covered, for 45–60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is fragrant. A whole chicken may take closer to 60 minutes; chicken parts often are done in 45 minutes. Do not boil vigorously — a gentle simmer keeps broth clear.

Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a bowl or cutting board to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large bowl or another pot to remove solids. Discard solids (or reserve cooked vegetables for blending if desired). Return the strained broth to the clean pot and taste; add additional salt as needed.

Prepare vegetables

While the broth simmers and the chicken cools, peel and slice 3 carrots and thinly slice 3 celery stalks and finely dice 1 onion. Heat 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil in a large saucepan or in the pot used for the broth over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the sliced carrots and celery to the pan with the onion and cook for another 5–7 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened. Stir in 1 tsp fresh thyme (or dried) and cook 30 seconds more to release aroma.

Shred the chicken

Remove skin and bones from the cooled chicken and shred the meat into bite-sized pieces until you have about 4 cups shredded chicken. Discard bones (or save for another batch of stock).

Add the sautéed vegetables and shredded chicken to the strained broth. Bring mixture back to a gentle simmer and simmer for 8–10 minutes to marry flavors.

Cook the noodles

Increase heat so broth comes to a gentle boil. Add 8 ounces egg noodles and cook according to package directions (usually 6–8 minutes) until al dente. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Once noodles are cooked, reduce heat to low. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and optional 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt to taste.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve hot. Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3–4 days. If you expect leftover soup, you may cook noodles separately and combine when serving to avoid soggy pasta.