Description
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for chilly days. Featuring tender poached chicken, sautéed vegetables, and pasta all enveloped in a rich, creamy broth made from a homemade roux, milk, and cream, it’s a delicious twist on classic chicken noodle soup that’s both satisfying and easy to prepare.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 3 carrots, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 2 cups pasta (see notes for suggestions)
Creamy Mixture
- ¼ cup butter
- â…“ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Seasoning and Garnish
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion, diced celery, and diced carrots. Sauté the vegetables until they are softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Poach Chicken: Pour in the chicken broth and bring it to a boil. Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cover the pot, and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook the chicken for 10-15 minutes until it is fully cooked through. Remove the chicken breasts and set them aside to cool slightly.
- Cook Noodles: With the soup simmering gently, add the pasta to the broth. Cook the pasta until tender, according to package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- Make Roux: Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the all-purpose flour and continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the mixture turns a golden brown color. This creates the roux, which will thicken the soup.
- Create Creamy Base: Gradually whisk 1 cup of the hot chicken broth into the roux to loosen it. Then slowly add the milk and heavy cream while whisking continuously to combine everything smoothly without lumps. Pour this creamy mixture back into the main soup pot with the vegetables, broth, and noodles.
- Shred Chicken and Finish: Shred the cooked chicken breasts using two forks or your hands into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the soup pot. Season the soup generously with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in chopped fresh parsley if using.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy chicken noodle soup into bowls and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- For pasta, egg noodles, small shells, or elbow macaroni work well in this soup.
- Use low-sodium broth to control salt levels.
- You can substitute half-and-half for the milk and cream for a lighter version.
- Stir the soup occasionally while the noodles cook to prevent them from sticking.
