We all love homemade soup at my house. This really is The Best Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup. Even with a few shortcuts, I still call it homemade. There’s no written rule that we can’t take advantage of a few shortcuts and still claim it to be homemade.
The difference is in the vegetables and herbs. As long as they’re fresh, the flavor and textures will shine through. So go ahead and use that leftover rotisserie chicken and canned chicken broth to make a batch. It’s all good.
Gather the ingredients for you own batch of The Best Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Olive oil – I typically use extra-virgin olive oil. It’s a healthy choice and adds a pronounced peppery fruity flavor. Of course, you could use regular olive oil or any neutral oil such as avocado oil or refined coconut oil. It’s advisable to avoid seed oils since they can be toxic when heated.
- Butter – Regular or unsalted is fine.
- Carrots – Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. I prefer the texture of fresh carrots in this soup since they hold up well during the cooking process. Frozen carrots certainly could be used, if need be.
- Celery – Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
- Leek – Thinly sliced white & light green parts only. Leeks resemble large green onions without a bulb. The edible portion is the tightly packed leaf sheaths, that are whitish & very light green in color. Leeks offer a subtle, sweet, and oniony flavor, milder than that of onions. Always soak your chopped leeks to be sure all of the hidden grit is removed.
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley – Chopped. Fresh parsley is recommended over dried. It generally has a brighter, more vibrant flavor with a more tender texture.
- Chicken broth – Use your favorite prepared broth or stock here. If you happen to have some homemade chicken stock on standby, by all means use that.
- Fresh dill – Chopped fresh dill is recommended here for its light, bright flavor. Dried dill would not work well in this recipe. It is far more potent and can easily overpower a dish if used in excess.
- Dried egg pasta – Tagliatelle or fettuccini works well when broken into small pieces before cooking.
- Rotisserie chicken breast meat – Shredded.
- Parmesan cheese – Finely grated for serving. Whenever possible, I grate my own from a block of aged Parmigiano Reggiano.
- Lemon zest – Freshly grated for serving.
- Ground nutmeg – For serving, if desired.
As in any recipe or whenever cooking, for that matter, it’s good to have it all prepped in advance …just takes some of the pressure off.
With this one though, you really can prep as you go. After all, this is supposed to be quick and easy, right?
Give the carrots and celery a head start while you prepare the leeks and parsley. If you have some celery leaves hangin’ out with the stalks, chop them up and add them to the mix. Never turn down the chance for more texture and flavor.
And don’t make the carrot slices too thick since they won’t have that much time to cook through. Of course, if you want them to have some “bite” to them …go ahead and be bold. Make those carrot slices a bit more chunky.
- Use a large stockpot or Dutch oven with at least 5-quart capacity.
- Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat.
- Add the sliced carrots and celery along with the salt & pepper.
- Cover and sauté for 5 minutes.
I know I’ve mentioned it before but it’s worth repeating.
- Make sure you soak your leeks in cold water before using them.
- They often have so much sandy grit hiding between the layers.
- A few minutes in a cold water bath will loosen it all up for you.
- Then just give them a good rinse under the faucet.
Even though it may seem like more work, it’s worth the extra step. Leeks are generally sweeter and milder than onions …the perfect addition to your homemade goodness.
- Add the sliced leeks and chopped parsley to the pot.
- Stir to combine.
- Cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
- Remove the cover and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Add the chicken broth along with the chopped dill.
- Mix well and bring to a boil.
If you have homemade chicken stock handy …feel free to use that! But, really you don’t need to.
This soup is so full of flavor on its own that you may want to save the homemade stuff for another time. Especially if your supply of “liquid gold” is limited.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the pasta.
- Simmer until pasta is cooked to al dente.
- Depending on your chosen pasta – about ten minutes.
Speaking of noodles …I like to use the dried egg pasta that is packaged in little nests so that they can easily be broken into small pieces before adding them to the pot. See how quickly this is all coming together? And wait til you get a whiff of the aroma that’s happenin’ in your kitchen!
- Add the shredded chicken breast and stir to combine.
- Continue simmering until just heated through for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Since the chicken is completely cooked, hold off on adding that to the soup until just before serving. Just give it a minute or two to be sure it is heated through. That way you’ll avoid overcooking and toughening it.
And there you have it. In just a little more than a half-hour, you have a big old pot of hearty wholesome homemade chicken noodle soup!
Just in time to offer some to that gang of yours as they come in from playing in the snow.
So, I’m here to testify that this is delicious and wonderful …just as it is.
But wait, there’s a way to take it to another level. For those who are adventurous.
The Best Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup is ready but…
Before serving, try adding some freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest & ground nutmeg to each bowl of goodness.
Not too much …just a hint. You may want to add just the cheese or maybe not the nutmeg. It’s all about making it just right for you and each of your loved ones.
The Best Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
Short on time? This one is big on flavor in less than an hour!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cups carrots, sliced at 1/4" (about 14 ounces)
- 1 1/2 cups celery, sliced at 1/4" (about 5.5 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 large leek, sliced, white and light green part only (about 2 cups / 6.5 ounces)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 46-ounce cans chicken broth (or homemade broth / stock)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 4 ounces tagliatelle or fettuccine dried eggs pasta, broken into small pieces
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast from rotisserie chicken (about 12 ounces)
- freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving (optional but highly recommended)
- freshly grated lemon zest, for serving (optional but highly recommended)
- pinch of ground nutmeg, for serving (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
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Heat the olive oil and butter in a large stockpot or dutch oven with at least 5-quart capacity over medium heat. Add the sliced carrots and celery along with the salt & pepper. Cover and sauté for 5 minutes.
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Add the sliced leeks and chopped parsley. Stir to combine. Cover and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
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Remove the cover and increase the heat to medium-high. Add the chicken broth along with the chopped dill. Mix well. Bring to a boil.
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Reduce heat to medium and add pasta. Simmer until pasta is cooked to al dente, according to package directions, for about 10 minutes.
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Add shredded chicken breast, stir to combine and continue simmering until just heated through for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.
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Optional: Top off each serving with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon zest and/or ground nutmeg.
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