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Chicken Noodle Soup From Scratch

Chicken noodle soup from scratch with a deep, darkly golden homemade broth—simmered from a whole chicken for rich flavor. Wide egg noodles and tender carrot-celery come together in a clear, seasoned pot with shredded chicken and fresh parsley.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the broth
  • 1 whole chicken 4 lbs
  • 3 carrots halved
  • 3 celery stalks halved
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 fresh parsley stems bunch
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 12 cup cold water
For the soup
  • 4 carrots sliced
  • 4 celery sliced
  • 1 onion diced
  • 12 oz wide egg noodles
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped
  • 0.1 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.1 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the broth
  1. Place the whole chicken and all broth ingredients in a very large pot with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, with a rolling bubbling surface forming across the pot.
  2. Skim foam from the top as it rises to keep the broth clear. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer so small bubbles break the surface steadily.
  3. Simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes at a gentle simmer, until the chicken is very tender. Look for meat that pulls easily and broth that looks deeper in color as it reduces.
  4. Strain the broth and discard the used vegetables. Remove all meat from the chicken and shred into bite-size pieces.
  5. Return the clear broth to the pot. Taste and season with salt so the broth is well balanced.
Build the soup
  1. Bring the seasoned broth to a simmer. Add the sliced carrots, celery, and diced onion so the pot resumes bubbling right away.
  2. Cook for 10 minutes at a simmer until the vegetables are tender. You should see carrots soften and onions become translucent.
  3. Add the wide egg noodles and stir to keep them from sticking. Cook for 6 minutes at a simmer, then check for al dente texture and continue up to 8 minutes total if needed.
  4. Add the shredded chicken and fresh parsley and stir to distribute. Cook for 1 minute just to warm through and keep parsley bright.
  5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Taste again for final balance before serving.

Notes

For the deepest flavor, skim foam thoroughly early in the boil so the broth stays clear. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months (for best texture, reheat gently and avoid boiling hard). For a lower-sodium option, use reduced-sodium salt or season gradually with less added salt while tasting.