Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Sherisse'

This homemade chicken noodle soup is built on a golden broth made from bone-in chicken, 20 garlic cloves, fresh herbs, and hours of patience. The beauty of this long simmer is your spice rack gets the night off. Egg noodles cook separately in reserved broth so they stay perfectly al dente in every bowl.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 20

Course Dinner, Soup

Cuisine American

Servings servings

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

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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

Pot size matters: Use a 5-quart stock pot with 80 ounces of water for bone-in chicken pieces, or an 8 to 10-quart pot with 120 ounces of water for a whole chicken. Give the chicken room to simmer.

Two bundles: Herbs in one bag, onion and garlic in their own separate bag. Clean, easy removal.

Noodles: Always cook separately in reserved broth. Cook al dente — they'll continue cooking in the hot broth when served. Store noodles and soup separately.

Fresh dill: Don't hold back. The rest of the dill package goes right into the soup at the end. It's what makes this recipe.

Make-ahead option: This is a one-day recipe, but if it's easier to split it up, make the broth one day and build the soup the next. The broth keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days or freezes for up to 3 months.

Extra chicken: A whole chicken produces more meat than the soup needs. Use extras during the week, or use bone-in thighs or drumsticks instead to prevent waste.

Bouillon: Only if needed. If you season the chicken generously and use all the garlic, ginger, and herbs, the broth should be deeply flavorful on its own.

Sick day version: Add a touch of cayenne and 1 teaspoon of turmeric when building the soup.

Sip the broth: It's packed with protein, collagen, and nutrients. Pour it in a mug — especially nourishing during cold and flu season.

Equipment: I used an All-Clad stainless steel stock pot. Stainless steel gives you a cleaner-tasting broth than nonstick.

Keyword chicken soup from scratch, cold weather soup, comfort soup, egg noodle soup, homemade chicken broth, homemade chicken noodle soup, sick day soup, sippable broth, whole chicken soup

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