Description
This classic Chicken Noodle Soup features tender bone-in chicken thighs simmered with fresh vegetables and aromatic herbs, combined with chewy egg noodles in a flavorful homemade broth. Perfect for a comforting meal, it balances hearty protein and vegetables with fresh parsley and a hint of lemon juice for brightness.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 2-1/2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
Noodles and Garnish
- 3 cups uncooked kluski or other egg noodles (about 8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Optional: Additional salt and pepper
Instructions
- Prepare Chicken: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and sprinkle with salt and pepper to season evenly.
- Brown Chicken: Heat canola oil in a 6-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches and cook until dark golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Remove chicken and set aside, discarding all but 2 tablespoons of drippings in the pot.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add chopped onion to the remaining drippings and cook, stirring, until the onion is tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Add Broth and Deglaze: Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate their flavor into the soup.
- Simmer Soup: Return the browned chicken thighs to the pot along with chopped celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove Chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool slightly.
- Cook Noodles in Soup: Remove the soup from heat and add the uncooked noodles. Cover and let stand until noodles are tender, around 20 to 22 minutes. (For best texture, cook noodles separately if making ahead or expecting leftovers.)
- Shred Chicken: When chicken is cool enough to handle, discard bones and shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
- Finalize Soup: Once noodles are tender, return shredded chicken to the pot, discard bay leaves, then stir in chopped parsley and lemon juice. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
- You don’t need a whole chicken to make rich, homemade chicken noodle soup; bone-in chicken thighs provide excellent flavor and tenderness.
- Cooking the noodles directly in the soup works for immediate serving, but for leftovers, prepare noodles separately to prevent sogginess.
- Save the chicken bones after shredding to make homemade chicken stock for future recipes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 239
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 1176mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 18g
- Cholesterol: 68mg
