Description
A comforting and creamy chicken noodle soup featuring tender chicken breast, crispy bacon, fresh vegetables, and mini homemade croutons. This hearty soup is perfect for a cozy meal, combining a rich broth thickened with milk and flour, angel hair pasta, sweet corn, and peas for a delightful texture and flavor balance.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken & Meat
- 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; boneless thighs can be substituted)
- 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (for seasoning chicken)
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper
Vegetables & Herbs
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (~0.5 x 1.2 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
- 1 carrot, chopped (0.5 x 1 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Dairy & Liquids
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 cups milk (full fat preferred, low fat or non-dairy alternatives acceptable)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups water
Dry Ingredients
- 4 tbsp flour
- 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair pasta/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small, spoon-able pasta)
- 1 tsp cooking salt
Croutons
- 1 cup bread (crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes – sourdough or regular sandwich bread)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare Croutons: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread them evenly on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Cool on the tray and set aside.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp cooking salt and black pepper to season evenly.
- Cook Crispy Bacon: Place bacon strips in a single layer in an unheated large pot. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the bacon until golden on both sides, approximately 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1 1/2 minutes on the second. Remove the bacon, leaving the fat in the pot, and drain on paper towels to crisp. Finely chop bacon and set aside for garnish.
- Cook Chicken: Using the same pot with bacon fat, cook the chicken steaks over medium-high heat for 1 1/2 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove from the pot and let cool slightly. Chop into small 8 mm (1/3″) cubes.
- Make Broth Base: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt unsalted butter in the pot. Add diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot pieces, and thyme sprigs (if using). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the carrot softens and onion is translucent but not browned.
- Thicken Soup: Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to eliminate the raw flour taste. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring continuously to dissolve the flour mixture smoothly. Then add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine all ingredients.
- Simmer: Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will appear thin but will thicken as pasta cooks.
- Cook Pasta and Add Vegetables: Turn heat back to high, add broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes or until the pasta softens. Add frozen peas and chopped chicken (including any accumulated juices) during the last 2 minutes of cooking to warm through.
- Serve: Ladle the creamy chicken noodle soup into bowls. Garnish with chopped crispy bacon, homemade croutons, and a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Using full-fat milk enhances creaminess, but low-fat or non-dairy alternatives work if needed.
- The bacon fat adds depth of flavor when cooking the chicken and vegetables — do not discard it.
- Sourdough bread makes crunchier croutons but regular sandwich bread works fine.
- Be careful not to brown the onion when sautéing; it should soften and become translucent.
- The soup thickens as the pasta cooks; don’t worry if it seems thin at the simmer stage.
- Chicken thighs can be substituted for breast if preferred.
- For a gluten-free option, use gluten-free flour and suitable pasta and bread.
