Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

This is, by far, my favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipe because it’s simply the perfect mix of easy, wholesome, and satisfying. It’s creamy yet light, and benefits from the addition of potato, thyme, oregano, and convenient pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. If you’re looking for an easy yet incredibly delicious homemade creamy chicken noodle soup recipe, just read some of the reviews below, then try it for yourself!

This is one of those recipes I like to make a big double batch of on a cold, slow weekend in January, and freeze half for future busy weeknights. It’s also a great one to take to a friend or neighbor who’s in need of a comforting homemade meal. And it’s a perfect back to school recipe when schedules get very busy.

This creamy chicken noodle soup has only about 200 calories per 1 cup. The potato adds heartiness to the soup and, as it cooks, makes the soup even creamier. I’ve made this soup probably close to 100 times since I originally published the recipe in 2015. Trust me, don’t leave that potato out!

Cozy up with a bowl of this soup, alongside a fresh salad and a warm slice of homemade artisan bread, for a meal that will leave you feeling satisfied, but not weighed down. If lightened-up comfort food is what you crave, be sure to try my creamy butternut squash mac and cheese, too!


Here’s Why You’ll Love This Light & Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

  • Lightened up, yet still creamy and so satisfying
  • Can be made on the stove or in a slow cooker
  • 1-pot meal
  • Using a cooked rotisserie chicken saves time
  • So much more delicious than store-bought soup
  • Make ahead of time and freeze
  • Good way to use up leftover chicken
  • Flavorful spices, herbs, and vegetables
  • Ultimate winter comfort food!

Best Ingredients to Use:

You need 1 big pot and a few staple ingredients. This is a forgiving recipe, so let’s review what can change if needed.

  • Butter: Just a Tablespoon, to soften the vegetables.
  • Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and celery form the mirepoix flavor base for this soup.
  • Herbs/Flavors: Use a blend of garlic, dried or fresh thyme and oregano, fresh ground pepper, and salt. Feel free to use other herbs you enjoy instead, if desired.
  • Flour or Cornstarch: Flour (or cornstarch) thickens the liquid, taking this soup from brothy to creamy. See recipe Note for that substitution.
  • Chicken Broth: Or stock.
  • Potato: 1 medium potato is the first magical ingredient in this recipe, because it cooks down and makes the soup SO creamy, hearty, and satisfying.
  • Chicken: This recipe saves time because you can use pre-cooked chicken. You could also use leftover cooked turkey, like we do in this turkey pot pie! I usually pick up a small rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, shred it, and add it right into the soup. Or you can boil/poach chicken breasts or roast them with a little garlic and thyme, let cool slightly (or refrigerate for a day or two), then shred or chop. If you have leftover chicken, you can also use it in recipes like my chicken quinoa salad or peanut chicken zucchini noodles.
  • Milk or Half-and-Half: This is the other magical ingredient that turns your homemade chicken noodle soup into the creamiest soup ever. Use 1 cup of whole milk or 1 cup of half-and-half. If you want to make regular (non-creamy) chicken noodle soup, replace the milk with more chicken broth.
  • Noodles: I prefer wide egg noodles in chicken soup, but you can use any type of dry pasta you like, or go noodle-less.
If you can find wide egg noodles, go ahead and use those in today’s soup. If you don’t have egg noodles, any dry pasta you like would work. Keep the noodles small enough to fit on a spoon, so break any large dry pasta before using if needed. A few readers have even used tortellini instead!

How Does the Soup Thicken Up?

Cooking down the onion, carrots, and celery is a key step in the recipe. After you cook them down, add flour and your herbs. The flour will absorb the liquid from the softening vegetables, and create a nice thick base for the soup. This is exactly how we start biscuit vegetable pot pie, too.

Whole milk or half-and-half also thicken up the soup. I’ve even made it with half the amount (1/2 cup or 120ml) heavy cream in a pinch. (Add more chicken broth if you use heavy cream; see recipe Note.)

Nice and thick, without being too heavy.

After the vegetable mixture cooks and you add the flour and seasonings (above), you’ll add the broth and potato. Boil, and then simmer on the stove before adding the milk/half-and-half, chicken, and noodles. Finish cooking. It’s all very simple.

*Slow cooker instructions in the recipe Notes below!*


Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup (100g) chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
  • 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced carrots (1–2 large carrots or a handful of baby carrots)
  • 1 cup (120g) sliced or diced celery (2–3 stalks)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/4 cup (31g) all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves (or 2 teaspoons fresh)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon fresh)
  • 8 cups (1.92 liters) chicken broth (I recommend reduced sodium)
  • 1 medium potato, peeled and diced (around 1 and 1/2 cups or 280g)
  • 2 cups (about 250g) shredded or chopped cooked chicken
  • 1 cup (240ml) half-and-half or whole milk
  • 3–4 cups (about 112-150g) uncooked wide egg noodles (or other dry pasta, see note first)
  • optional for garnish: fresh thyme leaves

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven (4 quart or larger) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until vegetables have softened. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Next, add the chicken broth and potato. Give everything a quick stir, then increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the soup to a boil, without stirring, and boil for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and allow to simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes have softened. Taste the soup, and add more seasonings to taste, if desired.
  3. Add the chicken, half-and-half/milk, and noodles. Cook for 10 minutes until the noodles are tender and the soup has thickened. Once again, taste the soup and add more seasoning as desired. Serve warm.
  4. Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, simply pour into a pot over medium heat and cook until warm. Feel free to add more chicken broth to the leftovers if it’s too thick. (Soup thickens in the refrigerator as the noodles and potatoes soak up the liquid.)