Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
A few nights ago, I walked in the door from ballet with the girls – we came in SO HUNGRY, and I had made this soup earlier in the day so it was waiting for us in the Dutch oven on the stove.
We dished up into bowls, grabbed chunks of leftover sourdough, sat down at the table, and nobody even spoke. We all just GOT INTO IT.
This soup is so good. The thick noodles, the tender chunks of chicken, and the flavors of creamy thyme, garlic, and veggies, oh my goodness.
I’ve never been a huge chicken noodle soup lover but this is a game changer for me.
When I first started making this, I wanted it thick, like the chicken wild rice soup. But I actually ended up being obsessed with the brothy version that you see here. (!!) It’s almost like a lighter cousin to zuppa toscana – you get the luxurious flavor of cream and herbs but the pleasant slurpiness of a soup, which just really feels right for chicken noodle, ya know? There’s a certain delicious drinkability to it.
I looked forward to the leftovers all week.
Hope you love it!
How To Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
1
Sauté Your Veggies.
Start with the carrots, onions, and celery; then hit it with your garlic and thyme! MAGIC.
2
Add Broth and Noodles.
Tuck those in for a little simmer!
3
Add Chicken, Spinach, and Cream.
Spinach is optional… but I like it in there!
4
You’re Done! Yum!
Yes I do love a little dusting of parm on this soup, thank you very much!
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup is SO good! Thick noodles, tender chunks of chicken, and the flavors of creamy thyme, garlic, and veggies.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- half of a yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 large carrots, thinly sliced into rounds
- 2 stalks celery, very finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 5 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6–7 cups chicken broth (I always use the Better Than Bouillon base – it has the best flavor. Buy it at Target!)
- 2 cups old-fashioned egg noodles (I used Mrs. Miller’s)
- 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- 2–3 cups fresh spinach leaves, torn into small pieces (optional)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, and celery; cook it down generously for 7-10 minutes, or until very tender and starting to caramelize.
- Add Seasoning and Herbs: Add garlic, salt, and thyme sprigs; saute for a minute so it’s nice and fragrant.
- Broth and Noodles: Add broth and noodles. Bring to a low simmer and cook for 10 minutes, or until noodles are tender.
- Finish: Remove from heat. Pull out the thyme sprigs. Add spinach, chicken, and cream. Stir to combine; you want everything heated through and the spinach to be wilted. (FYI – you might notice some oil separating on top, but if you let it rest for 10-20 minutes, that oil will get re-absorbed by the noodles. And if you can’t wait, just give it a stir and you’ll be good to go.)
- Serve: Serve with some hot crusty bread and top each bowl with fluffy freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: creamy chicken noodle soup, chicken noodle soup, chicken soup
FAQ About Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
You could use a dairy-free heavy cream, or use the method used in this recipe where slowly whisking in eggs makes it creamy!
I’d substitute a can of chickpeas for the chicken!
For the soup itself, I love to add some oyster crackers. On the side, a nice green salad and crusty bread are my picks!
I love the Mrs. Miller’s egg noodles, but any egg noodle would work. Or, you could use a wheat-based noodle – orzo, ditalini, or rotini are my prefered shapes!
