This is hands down, the best chicken noodle soup recipe! It's is made with rotisserie chicken for a quick meal that's perfect for busy weeknights.
This amazing soup only takes 30 minutes to make, but is so rich in flavor, you'll think it's been simmering for hours!

Who doesn't love a big, comforting bowl of soup to make you feel warm and cozy? Hot and sour soup, tomato soup, and broccoli cheese soup are a few of our favorite stovetop recipes, but, this homestyle chicken noodle soup made from scratch still reigns supreme!
What you'll need

- Chicken: This soup is made with cooked meat from an air fryer whole chicken but you can use any leftover chicken you have on-hand. A rotisserie chicken always works in a pinch! Have some raw chicken in the fridge or freezer? For your convenience, we've included additional instructions on how to use raw chicken in this recipe.
- Chicken Stock: A rich homemade chicken stock is best for adding tons of flavor but you can switch it out with store-bought chicken broth or water with chicken bouillon. If you are concerned about sodium levels, opt for a low-sodium chicken stock.
- Butter: Butter is used to sauté the vegetables because it provides richness to the broth. It can be replaced with any type of cooking oil such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
- Vegetables: Carrots, onions and celery are essential for classic chicken noodle soup!
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder and poultry seasoning pull all the flavors together to create a rich and flavorful broth.
- Egg Noodles: 2 cups of dry, medium or wide egg noodles are the perfect amount for 8 cups of broth.
- We recommend a 5 quart dutch oven (affiliate link) for this recipe. A heavy, cast iron stockpot is great for cooking soup and also for baking sourdough bread!
How to make it
This is how to make homemade chicken noodle soup from scratch the easy way!
STEP ONE: Melt the butter in a 5 quart stockpot. Cook the diced onions and celery over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and garlic powder and cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring.

STEP TWO: Add the chicken stock and the sliced carrots to the pot. Bring the broth to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to soften the carrots.

STEP THREE: Add the egg noodles and the cooked, shredded chicken. Bring the broth back up to a simmer and cook until the noodles are done and the chicken is heated through, about 5-6 minutes.

Serve with a side of crusty country loaf sourdough bread, Red Lobster cheddar bay biscuits or crackers!

How to store it
Chicken noodle soup will last up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can freeze this soup but beware that freezing cooked egg noodles is not recommended because they will be mushy when thawed. There is a solution to this delimma!
Cook the soup as directed but DO NOT add the egg noodles. Transfer the completely cooled, "noodle-less" chicken soup into a freezer-safe container and keep frozen for up to 6 months.
When you are ready to eat, allow the soup to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Bring the soup to a simmer on the stovetop in a saucepan, add the noodles and cook until they are done, about 5-6 minutes.
Common questions
Use 2 large chicken breast that have been cut in half to help it cook faster. Add the meat to the stockpot in step 3 and allow the chicken to simmer in the broth for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken and use two forks to shred the meat before adding it back into the pot along with the dry noodles. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the noodles are done.
Poultry seasoning, which is a blend of dried thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, black pepper and nutmeg adds a ton of complimentary flavor to the soup. You can substitute it with a variety fresh or dried herbs.
Regular salt can be swapped with seasoned salt to add another level of flavor.
More comfort food recipes
- pasta with cherry tomatoes
- french onion soup
- instant pot cabbage roll soup
- chicken chili verde (slow cooker or instant pot)
- turkey gumbo

Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion (diced)
- 2 stalks celery (diced)
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 4 large carrots (peeled and sliced into ½" rounds)
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups dried egg noodles (any width)
- 3 cups cooked and shredded meat from a rotisserie chicken (see notes for using raw chicken)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the butter, diced onions and celery to a 5 quart stockpot and cook over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and garlic powder and cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent sticking.
- Pour the chicken stock into the stockpot and add the sliced carrots. Bring the chicken broth to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Stir and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes to soften the carrots.
- Add the egg noodles and shredded chicken to the pot. Bring the broth back up to a simmer and cook until the noodles are done and the chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes.
NOTES
- For raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast: Use 2 large chicken breast that have been cut in half to help it cook faster. Add the raw chicken to the stockpot in step 3 and allow the chicken to simmer in the broth for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the chicken and use two forks to shred the meat before adding it back into the pot along with the dry noodles. Cook for an additional 5-6 minutes or until the noodles are done.
Sonia Cosgrove says
Absolutely delicious! The whole family enjoyed it. Definitely a make again.
Judy Thacher says
It was wonderful and easy to make. My family and I are having it again tonight. It is very cold here and it's snowing.
Terri Marie Colloton says
Yes, it was perfect!