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Soups · American

Chicken Noodle Soup

Roasted chicken, soft noodles and a pot of good stock: the bowl everyone asks for on a grey day.

Hands-on
35 min
Hands-off
50 min
Total
1 h 25 min
Makes
6 servings
Serves
6

The oven heats while you prep. Chicken roasts 35-40 min, then cools about 10-15 min; the stock heats while it cools, and you shred the chicken while the noodles simmer (about 10 min). Versions that make stock from scratch and chill it overnight take over 13 hours; this one starts with ready-made stock.

Oven 180 °C · 160 °C fan (350 °F)

  • easy
  • comfort-food
  • winter
  • freezer-friendly
  • kid-friendly

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Chicken Noodle Soup
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: sheet pan (baking tray) · large soup pot · cutting board and knife · two forks for shredding · instant-read thermometer · ladle · oven mitts

Contains: egg · wheat

Method

  1. Heat the oven, prep the veg

    Turn the oven on to 180°C (160°C fan, 350°F, gas 4). While it heats, dice the celery and carrots (1 cup / about 2 stalks celery, 1 cup / about 3 carrots) and chop 1/4 cup parsley.

  2. Season the chicken

    Put the 2 chicken breast halves skin-side up on a sheet pan, rub the skin with about 1 tbsp olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Wash your hands and the board after touching raw chicken.

    Otto tried this firstOtto chops the carrots on the same board he just used for the raw chicken. He stops, washes the board in hot soapy water, and starts again: raw-chicken juices shouldn't touch food that won't be cooked.

  3. Roast the chicken

    Roast for 35 to 40 minutes.

    Ready when: A thermometer in the thickest part of the meat (not touching the bone) reads at least 74°C (165°F). The juices run clear and the meat is white all the way through, with no pink.

  4. Cool and heat the stock

    Let the chicken cool until you can handle it, about 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the 1.9 litres (2 quarts) of stock to a simmer in a large pot.

    Ready when: The stock is steaming with small bubbles breaking the surface, not a rolling boil.

  5. Simmer veg and noodles

    Add the diced celery, diced carrots and 2 cups wide egg noodles to the simmering stock. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes. While it simmers, pull the chicken off the bones, throw away the skin and bones, and shred or dice the meat.

    Ready when: The noodles are soft all the way through when you bite one and the carrots are tender.

    Otto tried this firstOtto tips the noodles in at the very start 'to save time'. Twenty minutes later they're mush. Noodles go in for the last 10 minutes only.

  6. Finish

    Stir in the chicken and the 1/4 cup chopped parsley and heat through. Taste, add salt and pepper if needed, and serve hot.

    Ready when: The soup is steaming hot all the way through and the chicken pieces are hot.

Swaps

  • Instead of roasted bone-in breast: boneless, skinless chicken breasts pan-fried in olive oil about 4 minutes per side until cooked through (74°C / 165°F), then diced A quicker method.
  • Instead of roasted chicken breast: the same amount of shredded leftover cooked chicken or turkey, stirred in to heat through Use about 1 cup cooked chicken or turkey per 4 cups broth.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Roast the chicken up to 3-4 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge (cooked poultry keeps 3-4 days), then make the soup on the day.
Storage
Cool quickly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge; frozen, best quality for 2 to 3 months. The noodles soften further in storage.
Reheat
Reheat until steaming hot throughout, 74°C (165°F). Add a splash of stock or water if the noodles have soaked up the broth.

If something goes wrong

  • Mushy noodles Why: The noodles were cooked too long or added too early.
    Add them only for the final 10 minutes of simmering; for leftovers, expect them to soften.

Good to know

  • Making your own stock? Simmer whole chickens with vegetables and herbs for 4 hours, strain, chill it overnight and lift off the fat. It freezes for up to 3 months.
  • Finish each bowl with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve it piping hot.

Safety

  • Chicken must reach 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part. Check with a thermometer, not by time alone.
  • Don't rinse raw chicken; it splashes bacteria around the sink. Wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after touching raw chicken.
  • Hot soup scalds. Ladle away from you, and let kids' bowls cool a little before serving.
  • Store-bought stock and noodles can contain other allergens (some stocks contain celery or soy); check the labels.