Chicken Noodle Soup With Homemade Broth

The broth starts out pale and quiet, then a gentle simmer turns the whole chicken and vegetables into something far more fragrant than the water that went into the pot. I keep the heat low once it boils and take a moment to skim the foam; that small pause leaves the broth cleaner-tasting. This chicken noodle soup with homemade broth is built in two stages, so the chicken has time to become tender before the vegetables and noodles go in.

Cooking the noodles at the end matters here. They simmer right in the broth, where they take on its savory flavor, but adding them too early gives them time to swell and drink up the liquid. I shred the chicken while the vegetables soften, then return it only for the last couple of minutes so it warms through without another long simmer. The finished pot is full of tender chicken, soft carrots and celery, and wide noodles in a clear, savory broth.

Why the Noodles Go In After the Broth Is Already Built

Egg noodles keep absorbing liquid as they sit. If they spend the whole broth-making time in the pot, they’ll be soft long before the chicken is ready, and the soup will lose some of its brothy feel. Cooking them only after the broth and vegetables are ready gives you a better balance: noodles that are tender, not swollen, and enough liquid left to spoon into each bowl.

There’s another practical reason to wait: the noodles have a short cooking window, while the chicken needs a long, gentle simmer. Keeping those jobs separate means you can check the noodle texture at the end without disturbing the broth or the chicken. I add the shredded meat near the finish, too. It’s already cooked, so it needs just enough time to warm through; an extended simmer can leave the pieces stringy and dry. That order is what makes each spoonful feel like soup rather than noodles sitting in a nearly empty pot.

What the Chicken, Leek, and Wide Noodles Bring to This Pot

• Whole chicken — The whole bird provides both the meat for the soup and the foundation for its broth. A fresh, good-quality chicken is worth choosing because its flavor carries through the whole pot; boneless chicken breast won’t give you the same broth. After cooking, the meat is separated from the skin and bones and shredded.
• Yellow onion, leek, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves — Together these make the broth aromatic without competing with the chicken. The onion, leek, and garlic can be everyday grocery-store staples; fresh thyme gives the broth a clear herbal note, while the bay leaves add a quieter background flavor. There isn’t a direct one-for-one swap that keeps the same combination of flavors.
• Carrots and celery — These give the finished soup sweetness, savory depth, and a bit of color. Slice them evenly so they soften at about the same pace; there’s no need to seek out specialty produce for a soup that simmers with broth and chicken.
• Unsalted butter — Butter coats the vegetables as they begin to soften and gives the soup base a rounder flavor. Unsalted butter is useful here because it lets the measured kosher salt do the seasoning. Salted butter would make the final salt level less predictable.
• Wide egg noodles — Their broad shape makes them easy to catch on a spoon, and they turn the broth into a filling noodle soup. If you need a gluten-free option, use the same amount of wide gluten-free noodles in place of the egg noodles and follow that package’s cooking time; the final texture depends on the brand.
• Fresh parsley, kosher salt, and black pepper — Parsley adds a fresh finish after cooking, while salt and pepper bring the broth into balance. Fresh parsley is best for its clean, leafy taste; the salt and pepper can be ordinary pantry staples.

Build the Broth First, Then Finish the Soup in the Same Pot

A Gentle Simmer for Tender Chicken

Put the chicken, cold water, onion, leek, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in an 8-quart stockpot. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off the foam, then lower the heat and let it simmer gently, partially covered. Cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the thigh registers at least 165°F and the meat is tender. Keep the heat low; a hard, rolling boil is rough on the chicken and makes it harder to skim the surface cleanly.

Strain Carefully and Measure the Broth

Lift the chicken onto a cutting board, then pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof bowl. Take care with the hot liquid, and discard the solids caught in the strainer. Let the chicken cool until it’s easy to handle, then remove and shred all the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Measure the broth for the soup and add water as needed to reach the stated amount; keep any extra broth for another use.

Soften the Carrots and Celery

Use the clean stockpot to melt the butter over medium heat, then add the sliced carrots and celery. Stir occasionally as they cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until they begin to soften. They don’t need to be fully tender yet because they’ll simmer again in the broth. If the butter starts browning quickly, lower the heat so the vegetables soften without scorching.

Simmer, Cook the Noodles, and Return the Chicken

Add the measured broth, kosher salt, and black pepper, then bring everything to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the wide egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or follow the package directions, until they’re tender. Add all the shredded chicken during the last 2 minutes so it heats through without another long cook. Stir in the chopped parsley just before serving.

Two Useful Ways to Adapt the Soup

Questions I Get Asked About This Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup With Homemade Broth

Chicken noodle soup with homemade broth starts with a whole chicken gently simmered with aromatics. Wide egg noodles, tender shredded chicken, carrots, and celery make a comforting soup with a clear, savory broth.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 4 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 24 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 330

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

For the broth

• 1 chicken whole, 4-pound
• 12 cups water cold, plus more as needed
• 1 yellow onion large, quartered
• 1 leek white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and rinsed well
• 4 cloves garlic crushed
• 4 sprigs thyme fresh
• 2 bay leaves

For the soup

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 carrots medium, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3 celery stalks sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 10 cups broth strained
• 1.5 teaspoons salt kosher
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper ground
• 8 ounces egg noodles wide
• 2 tablespoons parsley fresh, chopped

Equipment

• 1 8-quart stockpot

Method

 

Make the broth

1. Put the chicken, water, onion, leek, garlic, thyme, and bay leaves in an 8-quart stockpot.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and skim off any foam.
3. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the thigh registers at least 165°F and the meat is tender.
4. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
5. Carefully strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large heatproof bowl, then discard the solids.
6. Let the chicken cool until easy to handle, then remove and shred all the meat, discarding the skin and bones.
7. Measure 10 cups of broth for the soup, adding water as needed to reach that amount, and reserve any extra broth for another use.

Make the soup

1. Melt the butter in the clean stockpot over medium heat.
2. Add the carrots and celery and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
3. Add the 10 cups broth, salt, and pepper.
4. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in the egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender.
6. Stir in all the shredded chicken during the last 2 minutes to heat it through.
7. Stir in the parsley and serve.

Notes

For a clearer broth, skim off foam as it forms. Refrigerate leftovers for 3 to 4 days; freeze yes, though the noodles may soften—freezing the soup before adding noodles helps preserve their texture. Use gluten-free noodles for a gluten-free variation.