American
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery and egg noodles in a golden, herb-scented broth with a squeeze of lemon.
- Rich broth from bone-in chicken
- Freezes beautifully
- Ultimate comfort bowl
This is the soup we make when someone is under the weather or when the rare cool front rolls through Miami. Simmering bone-in chicken thighs right in the stock adds body and flavor you cannot get from pre-cooked chicken. The noodles cook directly in the soup at the end, and a squeeze of lemon brightens the whole pot. It is simple, honest and deeply comforting.
Instructions
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the thighs skin side down and cook until the skin is golden and some fat has rendered, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate; they do not need to be cooked through.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion softens, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf and scrape up any browned bits. Remove the skin from the chicken, discard it and return the thighs to the pot.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the chicken is very tender and registers at least 175 degrees F, 30 to 35 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the soup and remove the thyme stems and bay leaf.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-size pieces and discard the bones.
Return the soup to a boil, add the egg noodles and cook until tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the shredded chicken, parsley and lemon juice. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Test kitchen tips
- Thighs are safe at 165 degrees F, but simmering to 175 degrees F or higher makes them meltingly tender and easy to shred.
- If making ahead, cook and store the noodles separately so they do not soak up all the broth; the soup keeps 4 days refrigerated or 3 months frozen without noodles.
- Use bone-in chicken breasts if you prefer white meat, simmering just until 160 degrees F, or swap the egg noodles for rice or small pasta.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330
- Protein
- 29g
- Carbs
- 25g
- Fat
- 12g
- Fiber
- 2g
- Sugar
- 5g
- Sodium
- 780mg
Nutrition values are estimates calculated per serving. See our disclaimer.
