Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup

This healthy chicken noodle soup is the ultimate comfort food—warming, nourishing, and simple to make.

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Soup

Cuisine American

Servings 6

Ingredients

1 –1.5 lbs chicken thighs bone-in or boneless, skinless
3 bay leaves
5 whole peppercorns
1 small whole onion peeled (leave the hairy end intact)
3 large garlic cloves 2 whole, 1 grated
12 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 large carrots diced
2 cups potatoes diced
1 1/2 cups egg noodles or any short pasta
1 1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp fresh dill parsley, or green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

Start the broth:

In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine chicken thighs, bay leaves, peppercorns, the whole onion, 2 garlic cloves, and chicken stock. Bring the soup to a boil over high heat with the lid on.
Then, slightly offset the lid to keep the broth clear. Simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off any foam with a mesh strainer as needed.

Prep the vegetables:

While the broth simmers, dice the carrots and potatoes. Chop the fresh dill or parsley and grate the remaining garlic clove.

Add the vegetables:

Stir the diced carrots and potatoes into the pot. Reduce the heat to medium and cook with the lid slightly open for 5 minutes.

Cook the noodles:

Add the egg noodles (or your chosen pasta) to the pot. Stir well to prevent sticking, then cook for another 5 minutes.

Final touches:

Remove the onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns with a strainer. Stir in the salt, olive oil, grated garlic, and fresh herbs. Season with black pepper to taste. At this point, you can shred the chicken directly in the pot for extra heartiness.

Let it rest and serve:

If you have time, let the soup sit covered for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with a slice of toasted bread.

Notes

Simply Nourished Life’s Cooking Tips

Avoid chicken breasts: For the most flavorful broth, stick to chicken thighs. The extra fat creates richness without being overwhelming.

Keep the onion intact: Leaving the hairy end on the onion keeps it together while cooking, so you can easily remove it later.

Clear broth secrets: To avoid a cloudy soup, don’t fully cover the pot while cooking. Skim foam as needed.

Pasta options: Any short pasta works well, try elbow, orzo, or broken spaghetti for variety.

Variations, Leftovers & Storage

This recipe is highly adaptable, making it perfect for meal prep or customizing to your taste.

Ingredient swaps: Feel free to use sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes, or add extra vegetables like celery or zucchini.

Leftovers: Store the soup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Note that the noodles may expand over time, so add extra broth when reheating.

Freezing: If you plan to freeze, omit the noodles. Add cooked pasta or rice after thawing and reheating.

Keyword Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup