Old school chicken noodle soup with all the love of grandma's kitchen, but all the knowledge of a modern chef. Juicy chicken, silky egg noodles, and a rich, cozy, golden broth all in one dutch oven pot!
This recipe is pure comfort and no stress, just pantry staples and one pot will guarantee every spoonful is amazing. This is the kind of soup you'll make on repeat for chilly winter suppers or to sate that hug-in-a-bowl craving.
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Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
Cold weather is here friends! That means soup season is now in full swing and a big pot of homemade chicken noodle soup is just what we need to chase off the sniffles this year.
This recipe is one of our staples in the winter, right alongside my hubby's tomato soup and some yummy beef stew. They're like the holy trinity of cold weather comfort.
Every home needs a go-to homemade chicken soup, and once you make it, you'll know why this is our fave.
TL;DR Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Tons of layered flavor - every single step is meant to create and add flavor: from the seared, tender chicken thighs, to the herbs and veggies, to the homemade broth, it's all layers upon layers of flavor.
- No soggy noodles or mushy veggies - knowing when to add the noodles and vegetables helps make the perfect chicken soup instead of having everything be mushy with all the flavor and texture sucked out.
- One pot meal made from scratch - sear the meat, saute the veggies, make the broth, and cook the noodles all in one large dutch oven!
- It's a great freezer meal - trust me, you'll want to make a batch to freeze for sniffle season and no one can lift a finger.
Ingredients You'll Need
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- High Heat Oil - Use grapeseed, vegetable or light olive oil to sear the chicken thighs and build flavor. Don't use extra virgin olive oil.
- Skin-on, Bone-in Chicken Thighs - This cut is a must to make it foolproof: the skin and bones release collagen to give the broth body, while the dark meat stays juice and tender even after a long simmer.
- Fresh Herbs and Peppercorns - a soup with fresh herbs is just on another level, you know? A few sprigs of thyme, a bay leaf, some whole black peppercorns give the broth tons of depth.
- Onions, Celery, and Carrots - this is classic French mirepoix and the backbone of a good chicken noodle soup. Sautéing them deepens their flavors and helps give a rich, golden glow to our broth.
- A Whole Head of Garlic - sounds crazy, but it adds a mellow flavor instead of overwhelming everything.
- Egg Noodles - I went with wide egg noodles for that classic texture.
- A Touch of Apple Cider Vinegar - A splash of acid wakes everything up, cutting through the richness.
- Water - we are making this broth from scratch, so we need plenty of water.
Making Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
Step 1 | Sear the chicken. Pat your bone-in chicken thighs dry and season well with kosher salt. In a hot Dutch oven, sear them over medium-high heat until they're golden brown on both sides. Put them aside.
Step 2 | Start your homemade broth. Turn the heat to medium and add half of the mirepoix (those onions, carrots, and celery), the fresh herbs, and peppercorns. Let them cook and gain some good color, this is how we starting building a flavorful broth, honey.
Add the head of garlic, cut side down and give it a little sear until fragrant and golden, we don't want to burn it.
Step 3 | Simmer the soup. Pour in cold water and vinegar and return the seared chicken thighs to the pot. Bring the pot to a low simmer, and cook for 1½ hours uncovered.
Step 4 | Strain + sauté the soup veggies. Strain the solids from the broth, keeping the chicken and shredding the meat from the bones. Now sauté the remaining mirepoix until golden. Pour the strained golden broth in and simmer for 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
Step 5 | Finish with the noods and chicken. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, followed by egg noodles. Simmer until the noodles are al dente and ready to eat. Serve it up!
Variations to Try Next Time
- Use rotisserie or leftover chicken. Short on time? Swap in shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken and skin the broth simmering step. Just use a low-sodium chicken broth instead!
- Swap the noodles. Use pasta like rotini or dialini instead of the egg noodles. Or rice noodles or GF pasta to make it gluten free, just make sure to cook them according to your package directions.
- Add in some leafy greens. Stir in a few handfuls of baby spinach during the last couple of minutes of simmering for extra goodness.
- Make it a creamy chicken noodle soup. Stir in a splash of heavy cream at the end to give the broth a velvety feel without turning it into a full on cream soup.
Chef's Tips for the Best Flavor
- Don't skip the sear and sauté. Searing the chicken and sauteing the veggines builds a deeply flavorful broth. Remember, brown food tastes good! RIP Chef Anne.
- Taste and season. Does it taste like it's missing something? Try a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce or a little MSG, it's probably needing some umami.
- Warm bowls = hot soup. Place oven-safe bowls on a baking sheet in a low/warm setting oven, then turn it off. Let them sit until gently warmed. Cozy, honey, not scorching.
- Don't boil! Keep that heat at a gentle simmer while making the broth. Boiling will make it cloudy and toughen up the chicken.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
Storing leftovers: let the soup cool completely then transfer into an airtight container to keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: The soup is freezer-friendly, but leave the noodles out. Freeze the soup sans noodles in freezer safe containers for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw, bring to a simmer, and cook your noodles directly in the reheated broth until they're ready to eat.
Equipment I Used
More Cozy Soup Recipes
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Cozy Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
Homemade Chicken Broth
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
- kosher salt and pepper
- ½ large yellow onion, quartered
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped in large pieces
- 2 celery ribs, washed and chopped in half
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 cups cold water
- Capful of apple cider vinegar, about 2 teaspoons
Chicken Noodle Soup
- ½ large yellow onion, small diced
- 2 celery stalks, washed and sliced ¼ inch pieces
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch coins
- 12 ounces dried wide egg noodles
- kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the Chicken Broth
- In a large dutch oven pot, heat the oil over medium high heat until the fat is shimmering hot.4 tablespoon olive oil
- Pat the chicken thighs' skin dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt on both sides. Place the thighs skin-side down in the hot oil and sear for 3-4 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden brown.4 chicken thighs, kosher salt and pepper
- Flip the chicken over and sear the meat for another 3-4 minutes, until there is a golden brown crust. Remove them from the pan and place onto a plate.
- Turn the heat down to medium and add to the pot the quartered onion, celery, carrots, the halved garlic head, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Season with a teaspoon of kosher salt. Sear until the vegetables gain some color, for 3-5 minutes.½ large yellow onion, 2 medium carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 head of garlic, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves
- Pour the cold water and the apple cider vinegar into the pot, then add the seared chicken thighs back into the pot.10 cups cold water, Capful of apple cider vinegar
- Let the broth come to a gently bubbling simmer. Cover with the lid and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring ocsasionally so nothing burns on the bottom.
- After the 90 minutes are up, remove the chicken thighs with tongs to let cool in a bowl until cool enough to shred. Shred the chicken with clean hands or forks and discard the skin and bones.
- Carefully strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer lined with paper towels into a large heat-safe bowl or measuring cup. If you’re saving the chicken fat for the next step, try to hold back the vegetables so the fat drips straight onto the paper towels. If not, go ahead and discard all the solids: veggies, herbs, and peppercorns.
- Transfer the fat from the paper towels into a small container, if using.
Make the Chicken Noodle Soup
- Add the chicken fat back into the dutch oven and turn the heat to medium.
- Toss the diced onion, sliced celery, and sliced carrots into the pot. Sprinkle in a teaspoon of kosher salt, then sauté for 4-5 minutes to gain some brown color, stirring frequently.½ large yellow onion, 2 celery stalks, 2 carrots
- Add the broth back into the pot and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- After the 10 minutes are up, add the shredded chicken and egg noodles to the soup. Turn the temperature up to medium high and cook the noodles until al dente according to package directions.12 ounces dried wide egg noodles
- Taste your chicken noodle soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- Ladle the hot soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread.
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