Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Vegetables
- 15 ml olive oil, room temperature
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 celery, sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
Broth & Protein
- 1400 ml chicken broth
- 450 g chicken breast, boneless and skinless
- 2 g dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf, dried
- 5 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Noodles & Garnish
- 150 g egg noodles, dried, wide cut
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 43 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 1900 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 46 mg
- Potassium
- 2693 mg
- Calcium
- 817 mg
- Iron
- 10.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 312 mg
- Phosphorus
- 1083 mg
- Zinc
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 1319 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 18 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.88 mg
- Riboflavin
- 1.51 mg
- Niacin
- 16.3 mg
- Folate
- 146 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and dried thyme to the pot. Stir constantly and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Pour in the chicken broth. Carefully add the whole raw chicken breasts, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer gently. Cook until the chicken breasts are completely opaque and reach a safe internal temperature of 74C/165F. This will take approximately 15 minutes.
Using tongs, carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the hot broth and transfer them to a clean cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
While you shred the chicken, increase the heat under the pot to bring the broth back to a gentle boil. Stir in the egg noodles and cook uncovered until they are al dente, about 8 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove and discard the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with any resting juices. Stir in the fresh parsley and let everything warm together for 2 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed before serving hot.
Chef's Notes
- Poaching the chicken breasts directly in the soup broth accomplishes two things: it gently cooks the meat to keep it tender, and it fortifies the store-bought broth with fresh poultry flavor.
- If using a low-sodium store-bought broth, you may need to increase the salt quantity significantly. Taste the broth before adding the noodles to gauge the seasoning level.
- For the clearest broth, use a slotted spoon to skim away any white foam or impurities that float to the top during the initial boiling phase.
- Cross-contamination is a serious risk when handling raw chicken. Use a dedicated cutting board and wash your hands, knife, and tongs thoroughly with hot, soapy water immediately after use.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Egg noodles will absorb broth and soften over time. For best results when making ahead, store the cooked noodles separately.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the soup base without the noodles. Boil fresh noodles to add when reheating.
Reheating: Warm on the stovetop over medium heat until reaching an internal temperature of 74C/165F.
Troubleshooting
Noodles are completely mushy and breaking apart.
Cause: The noodles were boiled for too long or the soup was left sitting hot on the stove for an extended period before serving.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once mushy. You can dilute the thickened broth with a splash of hot water or extra stock.
Prevention: Cook the noodles only until al dente. If you anticipate having leftovers, cook the noodles in a separate pot of water and add them to individual bowls.
Chicken breast is tough, dry, or stringy.
Cause: The soup was boiled vigorously rather than maintained at a gentle simmer, causing the proteins to seize and tighten.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Shred the meat very finely so the texture is less noticeable in the liquid.
Prevention: Ensure the heat is turned down to low once the broth comes to an initial boil, maintaining only a bare simmer.
Cultural Context
Chicken noodle soup is a quintessential American comfort food, heavily influenced by traditional European restorative broths brought over by immigrants. Revered as an informal folk remedy for the common cold, its combination of hot liquid, savory protein, and easily digestible carbohydrates makes it a cultural staple during winter months and times of illness.
