Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (From Scratch)
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There's a reason I boil a whole chicken for hours instead of opening a carton — and one spoonful of this broth will tell you exactly why.
Why This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Belongs in Your Kitchen.
This homemade chicken noodle soup starts with bone-in chicken pieces (or a whole chicken), filtered water, 20 garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and a few hours of patience. The beauty of this long simmer is you get to give your spice rack the night off. All that garlic, the rosemary, dill, thyme, onion, and ginger — they do the work for you.
When I worked in Burbank, California, there was this hole-in-the-wall mom and pop spot and I still dream about their chicken noodle soup. The dill was incredible — so fresh and generous. That's the flavor I'm chasing every time I make this. If you're a dill fan, don't hold back.
This is a one-day recipe — start to finish. But if you're short on time or just want to break it up, you can absolutely make the broth one day and build the soup the next. I've done it both ways. The longer the broth simmers the better, and having it ready to go means the soup itself comes together in about 30 minutes.
Why You'll Love This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
- Twenty garlic cloves do the heavy lifting. No garlic powder needed — just a ridiculous amount of real garlic simmered into the broth for hours. It's bold, it's deeply savory, and it's the kind of flavor you can't get from a jar.
- The broth is packed with good stuff. Protein, collagen from the bones, and vitamins from all those vegetables and herbs. It's genuinely nourishing — not just warm and comforting but actually good for you, especially during cold and flu season. Sip it straight from a mug.
- It works with bone-in pieces or a whole chicken. Bone-in chicken pieces in a 5-quart pot with 80 ounces of water, or a whole chicken in an 8 to 10-quart pot with 120 ounces. Either way, you get golden broth and tender shredded chicken.
- The noodles stay perfect. Cooking the egg noodles separately in reserved broth means they never get bloated or mushy — even on day three of leftovers.
- It feeds a crowd without much effort. Simple ingredients, no fussy prep, and enough to fill a table with leftovers for tomorrow.
sherisse's Recipe Notes
- Give the chicken space. If you're using bone-in chicken pieces, a 5-quart stock pot works great with 80 ounces of filtered water. For a whole chicken, go with an 8 to 10-quart pot and 120 ounces (about 15 cups) of water. You want the chicken submerged with room to simmer — not crammed in.
- Use two bundles for easy cleanup. The herbs (rosemary, dill, thyme) go in one cheesecloth or cold brew bag. The onion chunks and garlic cloves go in their own separate bag. When the broth is done, you pull both bundles out cleanly — no fishing around for stems or garlic skins.
- Season the chicken before it goes in. This is your first and most important layer of flavor. Be generous with the salt and pepper on both sides. If you nail this step, the broth won't need much adjusting later.
- Al dente is the goal. When you cook the noodles in the reserved broth, pull them while they're still slightly underdone. They'll keep cooking in the hot soup when you serve, and they'll hold up in leftovers instead of falling apart.
- Don't waste the extra chicken. A whole chicken gives you more shredded meat than the soup needs. Plan ahead — use the extras for quesadillas, sandwiches, or meal prep. If you don't have plans for leftovers, use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks instead.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- 5-quart stock pot (for bone-in chicken pieces) or 8 to 10-quart stock pot (for whole chicken) stainless steel recommended
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cheesecloth or cold brew bags 2 needed
- Kitchen twine if using cheesecloth
- Large bowl or container for straining broth
- Separate medium pot for cooking noodles
Ingredients
For the Broth (Bone-In Chicken Pieces — 5-Quart Pot):
- bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, or a mix) generously salted and peppered on both sides
- 80 oz filtered water about 10 cups
For the Broth (Whole Chicken — 8 to 10-Quart Pot):
- 1 whole chicken generously salted and peppered on both sides
- 120 oz filtered water about 15 cups
Herb Bundle (Cheesecloth or Cold Brew Bag #1):
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- 10 dill sprigs reserve the rest of the package for the soup
- ½ bunch fresh thyme
Onion and Garlic Bundle (Cheesecloth or Cold Brew Bag #2):
- ½ large onion sliced into 2 to 3 inch chunks
- 20 garlic cloves
For the Soup:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4.5 oz store-bought mirepoix pre-cut carrots, celery, and onion
- 3 frozen garlic cubes
- 2 frozen ginger cubes
- rest of fresh dill package roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 lemon juiced
- 1 bay leaf optional
- chicken bouillon only if the broth needs a flavor boost
For the Noodles (Cooked Separately):
- 8 oz wide egg noodles
- 3-4 cups reserved homemade broth from the pot
Sick Day Add-Ins (Optional):
- cayenne a touch
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Instructions
- Generously salt and pepper the bone-in chicken pieces (or whole chicken) on both sides.
- Place the chicken in your stock pot — a 5-quart for bone-in pieces, or an 8 to 10-quart for a whole chicken. You want to give the chicken room. Pour in 80 ounces of filtered water for pieces or 120 ounces for a whole chicken. The chicken should be mostly submerged.
- Make two bundles: In one cheesecloth or cold brew bag, bundle the rosemary sprigs, dill sprigs, and thyme. In a second bag, bundle the onion chunks and garlic cloves. Add both bundles to the pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low and maintain a gentle simmer. Skim any foam or impurities from the surface during the first 30 minutes.
- Simmer for 2 to 3 hours, or until the chicken is falling off the bone. The longer it simmers, the better.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and set on a cutting board to cool slightly. Remove and discard both bundles.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl or container. Discard any remaining solids.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin. Pull the meat from the bones and shred into bite-sized pieces using two forks. Set aside what you need for the soup. Save any extra for quesadillas, sandwiches, or meal prep.
- Reserve 3 to 4 cups of the strained broth in a separate pot. Bring to a boil. Add the egg noodles and cook until al dente — slightly underdone, as they'll continue cooking when added to your bowl. Drain and set aside. Store noodles separately from the soup.
- In the stock pot (wipe it clean), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mirepoix and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
- Add the frozen garlic cubes and frozen ginger cubes. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant and melted.
- Pour the strained broth back into the pot. Add the bay leaf if using and the salt. Stir to combine. For the sick day version, add a touch of cayenne and the turmeric here. If the broth needs a flavor boost, dissolve a chicken bouillon cube in the pot.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until heated through.
- Remove from heat. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Stir in the fresh dill — be generous. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- To serve, place a portion of cooked egg noodles in each bowl. Ladle the hot soup over the noodles and garnish with more fresh dill. Serve immediately.
Notes
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