Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Cook: 50 min.

Makes

8 servings

Updated: May. 03, 2023
We were at a restaurant, and my husband exclaimed, You can make better soup than this! A challenge! We began discussing what we’d add and take out, and soon came up with this comforting creamy chicken noodle soup. —Donnie Kingman, San Jacinto, California
Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions
  • 2 celery ribs
  • 4 cups water
  • 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) chicken broth
  • 1 large carrot, chopped
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
  • 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 cups uncooked wide egg noodles
  • 1-3/4 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Directions

  1. Chop 1 onion and 1 celery rib; set aside. Cut remaining onion and celery into chunks; place in a Dutch oven. Add the water, chicken, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 165°. Remove chicken and strain broth; set both aside.
  2. In the same pan, saute chopped onion and celery in butter until tender. Add the canned broth, carrot, potato, bouillon, basil and reserved broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  3. Add noodles. Return to a boil; cook for 6-8 minutes or until noodles are tender. Cut chicken into chunks; add to soup. Stir in 1-1/4 cups milk; heat through.
  4. Combine flour and remaining milk until smooth; add to soup, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Tips

Can you use precooked chicken to make creamy chicken noodle soup?

Yes! Save yourself time by using frozen precooked chicken for this soup, or shred up a rotisserie chicken.

How can you make chicken noodle soup thick and creamy?

There are several different methods you can try to make your chicken noodle soup thick and creamy. Stir in some flour—adding flour is a fantastic way to thicken dairy-based soups like this one. You can also make a roux (a combination of equal parts fat and all-purpose flour) and whisk in 2 ounces for every cup of liquid. Another option is to swirl in a pat of butter or an egg yolk, or mix a little cornstarch into cool broth or water, then stir it into the soup pot.

How do you store creamy chicken noodle soup?

Store chicken noodle soup for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

We recommend avoiding freezing most dairy-based soups, since they can become grainy once reheated. Soups that have starches in them like pasta also shouldn't be frozen, since the noodles will soak up the liquid and become soggy. However, due to the small amount of dairy in this creamy chicken noodle soup recipe, if you do freeze it you can prevent graininess by whisking a little heavy cream or sour cream into the soup as you reheat. To avoid soggy noodles, make the soup base separately, freeze it, then add the noodles when you're ready to eat.

—Sammi DiVito, Taste of Home Assistant Editor

Nutrition Facts

1 cup: 218 calories, 7g fat (3g saturated fat), 56mg cholesterol, 934mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 2g fiber), 18g protein.