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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the chicken noodle soup most of us grew up with: a clear golden broth, tender pieces of chicken, soft carrots and celery and plenty of egg noodles. The difference is that it is made from scratch in about an hour, using bone-in chicken thighs that flavor the broth as they cook. There is no need to make stock first.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 5 thighs
  • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and sliced into coins
  • 3 stalks celery sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 cups chicken stock low-sodium
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 6 oz wide egg noodles about 3 cups dry
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice optional

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
  2. Pour in the stock and water, then add the chicken thighs, bay leaves, thyme and salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam.
  3. Lift out the chicken and let it cool for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the skin and bones and shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
  4. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Skim excess fat from the surface if you like.
  5. Bring the broth back to a boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package, usually 6–8 minutes.
  6. Return the chicken to the pot, stir in the parsley and lemon juice, taste for salt and serve hot.

Notes

  • Thighs stay juicier than breasts and give the broth more flavor.
  • If you plan to have leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl.