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This is literally The Best Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch you’ll make. Everything is completely homemade from the broth to the noodles, and it’s actually pretty easy to make! The perfect comforting meal for a cold winter day!
If homemade chicken noodle soup made from scratch isn’t your thing, be sure to pop on over to our Creamy Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup, this Creamy Chicken Pot Pie, or this Easy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup.
The Best Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
Chicken noodled soup is the most well known of all the soups out there, and probably the most heavily consumed by the American population at any given time. The name alone elicits thoughts of something simple and classic, but it’s quite remarkable how many different ways there are the prepare it.
Growing up, we had a creamy version with thick egg noodles, loads of shredded chicken, diced onion, carrots, and celery – and to this day it’s still one of my favorite quick-ish ways to prepare and eat chicken noodle soup. I’ve also had variations that are brothy with chunks of chicken and tiny-diced carrots. Other variations include recipes that use the thin, dried egg noodles. I love every version for different reasons. Some are heartier. Others are healthier. Some are quick-cooking. And all of them warm you from the inside out.
This version, is a classic, but it’s made COMPLETELY from scratch, from the broth to the chewy egg noodles. It’s a labor of love, but SO worth it in the end.
How to make homemade chicken stock
Typically a homemade chicken stock is made with leftover chicken bones and skin, but since I actually needed chicken in the soup, I bought a whole 4-pound chicken, cut out the backbone, and threw it into a giant pot filled with water.
Also included in my version of chicken stock – lots of onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay, black peppercorns, flat-leaf parsley, thyme and salt. All of the veggies and chicken are covered in cold water, everything is brought to a boil and reduced to a simmer for an hour and half or so until the chicken is cooked through.
Be warned: At this point your house will be perfumed with the most delicious homey smells.
How to make homemade egg noodles
You would think making homemade egg noodles is really difficult, but I actually find it pretty easy to do, especially compared to making homemade pasta. And the beauty is, nothing has to be perfect! This is a rustic soup after. All you have to do is:
- Mix all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer.
- Form into two balls and let them rest for a few minutes.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out to about 1/8-inch thick. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1/4-inch strips.
- Add them to the simmering broth and watch them plump up!
Can I make anything in advance?
Yes! You can make the soup from start to finish a few days ahead of time. You can also make the noodles, wrap them in plastic wrap and then roll them out and cook them a few days later. Just make sure to let the dough rest at room temperature for a little while to make it easier to roll out.
Do I have to make homemade noodles?
I highly recommend making your own noodles for the whole “from scratch” experience. If you want a quicker, easier chicken noodle soup recipe, check out our Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. It comes together in about 30 minutes and uses a few more ready-t0-go ingredients like chicken stock and packaged noodles.
The Best Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken
- 2 cups baby carrot + 1 ¼ cup chopped baby carrot 2 for stock, 20 for soup
- 3 celery stalks with leaves+ 1 ¼ cup chopped celery
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 2 tsp black peppercorns
- 12 sprigs thyme
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley
- 2 onions halved, + ½ cup chopped onion
- 10 cups of water
- 2 tsp. salt
Noodles
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 tbsp minced chive
- 2 tbsp + 1 tsp. whole milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Add chicken to the bottom of a large stock pot. Add in 2 cups baby carrots, 3 celery stalks, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, 2 onions (halved), water and salt. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Take the chicken out, and pull all meat off the bones. Place the bones and skin back in to the pot and continue to simmer for another hour and half.
- While the stock continues to simmer, make the noodles. Add egg, salt, chives, and milk to the bottom of a stand mixer fit with the dough hook. Mix the dough until combined, then turn the mixer up to a medium speed and knead the dough for 1-2 minutes.
- Split the dough in to two balls. Add one ball to a heavily floured surface. Roll dough out until it's as thin as possible, and make sure to turn dough frequently and flour frequently so it doesn't stick. You want the dough to be about 1/16-inch thick. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into 1/4-inch noodles. Once all of the noodles are cut, sprinkle with more flour and set aside. Repeat process with remaining ball of dough. Lay floured noodles out on a baking sheet while the stock finishes cooking.
- Once the stock has finished simmering, place a colander over a large bowl and strain the stock. Use a spoon to press all of the liquid out of the veggies and chicken bones.
- Transfer the broth back to the pot and add in remaining onion, carrots, and celery. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer until the veggies are softened, about 15 minutes.
- Once the veggies are softened, add the pulled chicken back to the pot, stir. Gently add the noodles in to the pot, making sure each one is separated. Simmer until noodles are cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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