When I think of the upcoming winter season, I can’t help but get excited about soup season! Nothing is more comforting than a big bowl of warm soup on a cold day. Growing up, my mom made the best chicken noodle soup for my siblings and me after a day of playing in the snow.
Chicken noodle soup is a classic, and it also gives memories of being sick and my mother making chicken bone broth soup to help cure me. The bone broth provides essential nutrients to aid in healing from the flu or a cold.
No matter what your memories of chicken noodle soup are, you won’t want to miss this recipe. Chicken, vegetables, and egg noodles are combined to make the best cold-weather remedy. I am getting hungry just thinking about it!
What Is Chicken Noodle Soup?
Chicken noodle soup is recognized worldwide, and most countries have their own chicken soup variation with local ingredients. History shows that chicken boiled in water with added vegetables was used as a remedy to cure influenza and colds.
The chicken soup consists of chicken boiled in water and added vegetables. Variations include adding grains and noodles. The modern American chicken noodle soup we know today was brought over by immigrants from Northern Europe.
Different universities around the United States conducted studies on the medicinal properties of chicken broth soup. The studies were inconclusive but suggested that components of chicken soup inhibit neutrophil migration, which has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Another study found that chicken soup has cysteine, an amino acid similar to acetylcysteine. Doctors use acetylcysteine to help clear bronchitis and other respiratory infections.
Whether you love the taste of chicken noodle soup or are using it to cure a cold, check out the delicious recipe below!
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Butter
- 1 Onion chopped
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Celery stalks
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 8 cups Chicken stock
- 2 Bay leaves
- Salt and black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds Bone-in, skinless chicken breast
- 2 ½ cups Wide egg noodles
- 2 Tbsp Fresh dill
- 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
Instructions
- Melt the butter over medium heat in a large stock pot or a Dutch oven.
- Add chopped and peeled carrots, onions, and sliced celery to the butter.
- Cook the vegetables until tender, about 3-4 minutes of stirring and cooking in the butter. Stir in chopped garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken stock and bay leaves. Add the desired amount of salt and pepper. Add the chicken breast and bring it to a boil.
- After you have reached boiling, reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked, with no pink in the middle.
- Take the chicken breasts out and dice them into bite-size pieces, discarding the bones.
- Return the chicken to the pot and add egg noodles. Cook for about 6 minutes or until pasta is tender.
- Remove from heat and stir in parsley, dill, and lemon juice. Add more salt and pepper if desired for taste.
- Grab your favorite bowl and serve immediately! I love to serve this soup with cheese and crackers or a grilled cheese sandwich, and the melty cheese is the perfect accompaniment to the warm soup.
Tips & Tricks for Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
One of the most important things about this recipe is using chicken that has bones. Some recipes call for pre-made chicken stock only. If you don’t use bone-in chicken, you will miss out on the medicinal benefits of this soup.
The bones are what hold most of the vitamins and nutrients that help cure a cold. Boiling the bones draws out the nutritional value and gives you the delicious, healthy broth that you need!
Another trick if you don’t have egg noodles is using potatoes instead! You can’t technically call it chicken “noodle” soup, but potatoes are a great alternative to pasta because they give the same starch and carbs as pasta.
Nutrition Information of Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Check out the list of nutritional value one serving of this chicken noodle recipe provides.
- Calories: 269
- Total fat: 8.7 g
- Saturated fat: 2.4 g
- Cholesterol: 124 mg
- Sodium: 1001 mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 14.8 g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g
- Total sugars: 2.7 g
- Protein: 37.7 g
Along with these nutritional facts, this soup provides other vitamins and minerals. Check them out below.
- Vitamin D: 2mcg
- Calcium: 60 mg
- Iron: 2 mg
- Potassium: 779 mg
Overall, homemade chicken noodle soup is a healthy option for you and your family! I love to make big batches of this soup and save some in the freezer for later; this saves me time and money while trying to feed a large family!
Conclusion
Chicken noodle soup has been eaten for years, and this delicious meal has both comforting effects and medicinal properties. Take advantage of all of the wonderful benefits chicken bone broth can provide you and your family with this chicken and noodles recipe!
With so many variations, you can make this soup without much preparation. If you have bone-in chicken and some vegetables, make up your own version of this soup! Don’t be afraid to add some Better Than Bouillon too.
I love to play a game I call “soup roulette.” I find random ingredients around my house and try to make the best soup with them. Sometimes it turns out really good, sometimes it’s a bust, but it is always an adventure!
I hope you and your family enjoy this chicken noodle soup as much as we do, and it is sure to satisfy even the pickiest eaters on the toughest days.
Outstanding. Cooked it as written.
I thought it was really good.
I made this twice so far and we loved it.