Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup (Warm and Soothing)

Whenever anybody in our family catches a cold, this is the soup that ends up on my stove, and these days it often ends up in a big jar on the passenger seat of my car, headed to one of the kids. My mother made it for me when I was little, I made it for my three through every winter of sniffles, and now the grandkids know exactly what to ask for. It is plain, gentle and the closest thing to a hug you can eat with a spoon.

I make it from scratch, but nothing about it is complicated. Bone in chicken thighs go into the pot to give the broth some body, and they stay moist even after a long simmer. Onion, carrot and celery soften in butter first, then the chicken poaches quietly in the broth, and wide egg noodles join at the very end. Right before serving, a little lemon juice and a handful of chopped parsley make the whole pot taste fresh.

Plan on just over an hour, most of it spent with the lid partly on while you do something else. The recipe fills a large pot, so there is enough for supper plus a few lunches, and it reheats beautifully. If the canned kind is all you have known, this one might change your mind about chicken soup entirely.

What makes this soup so comforting

• Thighs with the bone in. The bones and skin add richness to boxed broth, so the soup tastes long simmered without an all day commitment.
• A gentle poach. Keeping the pot at a soft simmer leaves the chicken tender and the broth clear rather than murky.
• Butter softened vegetables. Cooking the onion, carrots and celery before any liquid goes in gives the broth a sweeter, rounder base.
• Noodles at the end. Adding the noodles only in the last few minutes keeps them soft and springy instead of bloated.
• A fresh finish. Parsley and a splash of lemon brighten every spoonful.

What you will need

Every ingredient here is easy to find at a regular grocery store. The exact amounts are in the recipe card, and this is your shopping list.

• Butter, or olive oil if you prefer
• An onion, a few carrots and some celery
• Garlic cloves
• Chicken thighs with skin and bones
• Chicken broth with less sodium
• Thyme and a couple of bay leaves
• Salt and pepper
• Egg noodles, the wide kind
• A bunch of parsley
• One lemon

Notes on ingredients and swaps

The chicken

I like thighs with the skin and bone still attached, because they are inexpensive, full of flavor and hard to overcook. Bone in breasts can stand in, though you should take them out the moment they hit 165F so they stay juicy. On a busy day, leave out the raw chicken and add 4 cups of pulled meat from a store roasted bird near the end instead.

The broth

A reduced sodium broth keeps you in control of the seasoning. The pot cooks down a bit and the noodles absorb salt as well, so it is far easier to add salt at the end than to rescue an oversalted soup. If you keep homemade stock in the freezer, this is a perfect place to use it.

The vegetables

Onion, carrot and celery are the only vegetables you truly need. Try to cut them into similar pieces, roughly 1/2 inch, so everything softens together and sits nicely on a spoon. A scoop of frozen peas added at the very end brings a pop of green and a little sweetness.

The noodles

Wide or extra wide egg noodles give the soup its classic homemade look and feel. Really, any small pasta works, such as ditalini or rotini. To keep the pot gluten free, use a gluten free pasta or spoon the soup over cooked rice.

Herbs and lemon

Dried thyme and bay leaves cook along with the broth, and the fresh parsley waits until the end. Please do not leave out the lemon. Nobody will taste it as lemon, but it lifts the flavor and keeps the soup from tasting flat.

The butter

Butter gives the vegetables a soft, rich flavor that reminds me of the soup my grandmother kept on her stove all winter. Olive oil is a fine choice if you prefer it or are cooking for someone who avoids dairy. Two tablespoons is enough either way, because the thighs release some fat of their own as they cook. If a heavy layer of fat collects on top once the thighs are lifted out, spoon most of it off with a wide spoon and leave just enough for flavor and those pretty golden beads on the surface.

Making the soup

Step 1. Cook the vegetables gently

Set a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and melt the butter. Stir in the onion, carrots and celery along with a pinch of salt, and let them cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion turns soft and see through. They should soften without picking up much color.

Step 2. Stir in the garlic and seasonings

Add the garlic, thyme and black pepper and stir for about a minute, until the garlic smells sweet. Keep the spoon moving, since garlic that burns will leave a bitter taste in the broth.

Step 3. Poach the chicken

Tuck the thighs down among the vegetables, add the broth and drop in the bay leaves. Bring the pot up to a boil, then lower the heat until only a few bubbles rise. Set the lid on partway and let it go 30 to 35 minutes, until an instant read thermometer in the thickest piece shows 165F.

Step 4. Pull the chicken apart

Move the thighs to a cutting board and give them a few minutes to cool enough to handle. Throw away the skin and bones and use two forks to tear the meat into bite size shreds. Meanwhile, skim off any extra fat floating on the broth with a large spoon.

Step 5. Add the noodles

Return the broth to a steady simmer and stir in the egg noodles. Cook them for 6 to 8 minutes, just until soft, stirring once or twice so they do not stick together at the bottom.

Step 6. Season and serve

Slide the shredded chicken back into the pot and pull out the bay leaves. Squeeze in the lemon juice and scatter in the parsley, then taste and season with salt and pepper until it is just how you like it. Ladle it into warm bowls and eat it right away.

That really is the whole thing. The first time you make it, you may be surprised at how much flavor a few simple ingredients and a little time can build.

The one habit I would encourage is tasting all the way through. Broth can be very different from one carton to the next, and getting the salt right is what turns a nice soup into the one everyone asks for.

If a grandchild or any small helper is hanging around the kitchen, hand them the shredding job. Little ones love tearing up the chicken, and they are always prouder of dinner when they had a hand in it.

Soup mistakes to avoid

• A rolling boil. Hard bubbling makes the chicken tough and turns the broth cloudy. Keep the pot at a quiet simmer.
• Heavy salt at the start. Season a little early on and fine tune at the end, after the broth has reduced and the noodles have gone in.
• Mushy noodles. Noodles keep softening as long as they sit in hot broth. Take the pot off the heat once they are tender.
• Vegetables in mixed sizes. Large carrot chunks and tiny bits of celery will never finish at the same time. Cut everything to a similar size.
• Guessing on the chicken. Eyeballing doneness can leave the meat underdone or rubbery. Check the thickest part for 165F.

Storing and making ahead

In the fridge. Cool the soup, then pack it into airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The noodles drink up broth as the soup sits, so plan on adding a little water or broth when you warm it.

Keep the noodles on the side. When I make a pot to last the week, I boil the noodles in their own pot of salted water and store them separately. Put a scoop of noodles in each bowl and pour the hot soup over them. The noodles stay springy and there is always enough broth.

In the freezer. Freeze the soup with no noodles in it for up to 3 months, and leave about an inch of room at the top of each container since liquid expands as it freezes. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, bring it back to a simmer and stir in freshly boiled noodles.

Warming it up. Heat the soup in a saucepan over medium until it is steaming, or warm a single covered bowl in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes with a stir halfway through. Taste before you serve, because a little extra salt and a fresh squeeze of lemon make leftovers taste brand new.

Ways to change it up

• Slow cooker style. Put everything except the noodles, parsley and lemon in the slow cooker and let it go 6 to 7 hours on LOW or 3 to 4 hours on HIGH. Shred the chicken, add the noodles and cook another 15 to 20 minutes on HIGH.
• Chicken and rice. Leave out the noodles and use 3/4 cup of white rice, the long grain kind, and simmer about 18 minutes, until the rice is soft.
• More vegetables. In the last few minutes, stir in frozen peas, chopped green beans or a couple of handfuls of baby spinach.
• Ginger and garlic. Grate a tablespoon of fresh ginger into the pot along with the garlic for a warming bowl during cold season.
• A creamy version. Finish the pot with 1/2 cup of heavy cream for a richer, cozier soup.

What to serve alongside

A deep bowl of this soup is plenty for a meal, but something on the side makes the table feel complete. In our house that usually means warm biscuits with butter or a crusty loaf for dipping. Grilled cheese cut into strips always wins over the grandkids.

For something lighter, pair it with a green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil, or a plate of apple slices and sharp cheddar. And plain saltines never go out of style, especially for someone who is not feeling well.

However you serve it, set some aside for tomorrow. Few things are nicer than opening the fridge and finding a container of homemade soup waiting for you.