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!
I originally published this recipe in 2015 and have since added some new photos, a video tutorial, and a few more success tips.
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. It’s one of the most-made cozy winter dinner recipes on my site.
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. Trust me, don’t leave that potato out!
One reader, Melinda, commented: “I made this today and have to say that this is now our favorite homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, too! I followed the recipe exactly as written and hubby loved it. ★★★★★”
Another reader, DLand, commented: “I first made this as a dinner for a new mom and dad. It was so good I couldn’t wait to make it again to keep for my own dinner. Thank you for another wonderful recipe! ★★★★★”
And another reader, Paula, commented: “This soup was delicious, best chicken soup I have eaten. I added Italian seasoning since I did not have oregano or fresh thyme and it was perfect. ★★★★★”
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 cauliflower potato soup and 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
- A reader-favorite from my list of 30 delicious fall dinner recipes
- 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. (I do the same for this BBQ chicken pizza—so easy!) 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!*
Can I Skip the Noodles or Use Rice Instead?
Yes. Feel free to skip the noodles entirely with no other changes to the recipe. Or you can use 1 cup of uncooked rice instead. Add it when you would add the noodles.
This Soup Satisfies. Period.
One bowl of this light & creamy chicken noodle soup will leave you feeling satisfied for hours, without feeling weighed down. This is the meal that keeps on giving because if you have a smaller family, there will be plenty of leftover soup to enjoy during the week. Serve in homemade bread bowls or alongside a batch of deliciously soft dinner rolls, sweet potato dinner rolls, or brown butter sage dinner rolls, or a loaf of crusty artisan bread, ciabatta bread, or asiago-crusted skillet bread.
I calculated the nutrition details using the SparkRecipes calculator app, and a 1-cup serving of this creamy chicken noodle soup, when using whole milk, is only 203 calories, with 20 grams of protein. Creamy, yet light… best soup ever!
Print
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: about 12 cups
- Category: Soup
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup is creamy yet light, and benefits from the addition of potato, flavorful thyme and oregano, and convenient pre-cooked rotisserie chicken. You can make it on the stove or slow cooker (see Note for slow cooker instructions).
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 (spooned & 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.)
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze soup for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the day before eating, and then reheat on the stove until warm.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Dutch Oven (4-quart or larger, like this Le Creuset Dutch Oven or Lodge Dutch Oven)
- Slow Cooker Instructions: Prepare the soup through step 1 on the stovetop. Transfer to a slow cooker (affiliate link) and add the chicken broth and potato. Allow to cook for 2 hours on low, then add the chicken, half-and-half/milk, and noodles. Cook on low for 1 more hour.
- Flavor Tip: During the last few minutes of cook time, try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon. It’s so good!
- Flour: Instead of 1/4 cup of flour, you can use 2 Tablespoons (16g) cornstarch.
- Herbs: I love this soup with oregano and thyme. Or you can use 1 and 1/2–2 teaspoons pre-made Italian seasoning (found in the spice aisle).
- Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth. If you are using regular broth, start with only 1/4 teaspoon of salt. As the soup finishes up, taste and add more salt if desired.
- Chicken: I recommend using rotisserie chicken, and you can use either white or dark meat. Or you can roast some chicken breasts yourself. Rub with a little minced garlic and dried thyme, roast in the oven under tender, then shred or chop it. You can also boil 2 large chicken breasts until cooked through, then shred/chop and use in this recipe.
- Whole Milk/Half-and-Half: Either works wonderfully in this recipe. Avoid lower-fat milks, and if you need a nondairy milk suggestion, I recommend plain oat milk. Plain almond milk would be the second best option for nondairy. Keep in mind that the soup won’t be as creamy. You could use 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy cream instead. If using 1/2 cup of heavy cream, add another 1/2 cup of chicken broth to the recipe.
- Best Noodles to Use: I prefer wide egg noodles in chicken soup, but any homestyle egg noodles work. You can use other dry pasta too, such as elbow macaroni or fettuccine (break up to fit on soup spoon). If using a smaller pasta, reduce amount to 2-3 cups. A few readers have even used tortellini! Or you can use 1 cup of uncooked rice instead. Add it when you would add the noodles.
Reader Comments and Reviews
OMG! Delicious. We get so few cold days here in east Texas. This perfectly hit the spot.
Sally,
In the past, I have made this soup for my granddaughter’s classroom and students LOVED it. I am scheduled to bring soup again this week and plan to make this soup, but my granddaughter was wondering if I could use rice instead of noodles. If so, can you recommend the dosage and time of addition?
Hi Rebecca! I’m so happy this recipe is a hit with your granddaughter’s classmates 🙂 I haven’t tried it that way, but I bet rice would be delicious!
Can I use baby potatoes instead of one large one?
Definitely– I do that a lot if I don’t have larger potatoes.
I was in the mood for a creamy chicken noodle soup, so I decided to give this recipe a try. I am so glad that I did. Me and my family absolutely loved this chicken noodle soup. It is the best chicken noodle soup we have ever had. My family is already asking me to make it again. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
I followed this recipe and used my Better than Bullion for the broth. It was absolutely the best chicken noodle soup I ever made. My hubby loved it and I will be making it again and again. Thank you.
for some reason I have ALWAYS struggled with soup. no matter what recipe I would use and how much seasoning I added, it came out bland. this is the first time I’ve ever made a soup and been impressed with myself for not messing it up!!! I added frozen corn instead of potatoes and eyeballed the seasonings, also added a few more (seasoned salt, parsley, mrs dash garlic + herb, etc). best soup I have ever made and it will for sure become my go-to soup recipe. thank you!!!
WOW Sally! This is the first chicken noodle soup that I’ve truly not just liked, but loved! Usually I’m not a noodle soup fan because I find many lack a good punch of flavor. I made this last night and it turned out so well. Simple ingredients but the flavor is so elevated by the herbs and the little bit of lemon and cream. And I think the diced potato added something extra too. Whatever it is, I will definitely be making this again several times over the upcoming cooler months. Thank you!
Best chicken noodle soup, restaurant quality! My 4 year old is sick and I wanted to make her a homemade but still quick soup, this was perfect. She’s super picky & doesn’t normally like soups of any kind, but she ate this and liked it! My husband ate two big bowls, I know he likes something if he goes back for seconds. Definite win & keeper. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
I need to try making this in my crockpot express,like an instapot.
I have a wheat allergy, so I added corn instead of the noodles. This is so delicious, it reminds me of corn chowder.
Hi Sally,
Have you tried this with a non dairy milk such as coconut or almond?
Thanks!
Laura
I personally haven’t, but a few readers have used unsweetened plain almondmilk with no problem!
I made this for dinner tonight and oh my! It was soooooo delicious. One of my top 3 for sure
This is so delicious but my soup was thick that pasta was showing. What can be fixed in this situation?
This soup is absolutely amazing! It’s become a staple in our house, and everyone who tastes it is blown away.
Also, if made with the FF Half and Half, a serving has only 4 WW Flexpoints, and as Sally wrote, it is incredibly filling.
Thank you so much for this wonderful soup!
I made this soup for dinner yesterday and absolutely loved it! It’s so creamy and filling, I’ll definitely be making this again. When tasting it at the end I still felt like it missed something so I added about 1,5 tsp of lemon zest and that completed it. Thank you for this recipe!
This is the first time I’ve commented on a recipe (mainly because I’m just lazy), but I’m making an exception today because this is seriously THE BEST chicken noodle soup! My husband loves it, my picky son loves it, my parents love it. I’ve made it several times now and will continue making it. Hands down delicious!
Such a good chicken noodle soup. Even my husband who is not a soup person loved it. Thanks for the recipe!
This was delicious Sally! Like all your recipes, it came out perfect. I added peas because I love them in soup. Thank you!
So honestly, I’ve never liked chicken noodle soup before – EVER. But I printed this recipe because I trust what you publish, whether sweet or savory. Merciful heavens, I just made it for lunch today and it was insanely good. Like the best soup (of any kind) I’ve maybe ever had. It was fantastic!!! Love this so much, so glad you emailed it out again – it’s definitely a keeper! (About to try your baked oatmeal next, have been hunting for a new recipe.) Thanks, Sally – you’re the best!!
The soup would be much better without the oregano and thyme. I am an experienced cook and I should have known better, but I do like to try new recipes. I think, sometimes, cooks on blogs make recipes their own by adding herbs and spices and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.
This is my new favorite recipe for chicken noodle soup!! You won’t regret making this!
This was my first time making soup. This recipe is delicious and easy to follow. My family loved it!
your site is my go-to recipe book when I need to find a good recipe quick and I know it’s going to be good.
Thank you for sharing!
Can you replace the half and half with coconut milk?
Yes, you can. The flavor will slightly change.
This soup is delicious! Let me just say that my husband is one of the pickiest eaters on earth and he loved this soup! He normally will never eat anything I make that is relatively healthy but this reminded him of the creamy chicken and wild rice soup at Panera a/k/a St. Louis Bread Company so he took a chance and tried it and he loves it. Sally I cannot believe how good this recipe is and how much it makes. It almost reminds me of chicken and dumplings because it thickens up in the fridge overnight. Thank you so much for an unbelievably delicious soup recipe that even I was able to correctly make. I say bring on more of these fantastic recipes so I can stock my fridge and freezer!
This is BY FAR the best chicken soup recipe I’ve ever made. The first time I made as is, along with a pinch of cayenne. It did not “set well” with my lactose intolerant husband but he said it was so good it was worth it. Now to make it lactose free I simply substitute more chicken broth for the half & half. I think I’ll also start adding a handful of frozen peas to the mix. The last time I made it I didn’t have any fresh carrots so simply used frozen. This recipe is SO easy but so VERY good!
Sally, thank you for this recipe. I needed comfort food today (even though it was the high 80’s), so I made this tonight. So simple and delicious!
Just made this for the first time tonight and my husband and I had to restrain ourselves from eating the entire pot!! Planning on making a triple batch for the freezer within the next few days. Yummmmmmm! Your recipes never disappoint Sally!!
This was AMAZING. I used chicken breast that I cooked right before the veggies, and I used cauliflower instead of potatoes…. my 8 yr old asked if we could have it tomorrow night too. The base is so versatile, I’m going to add broccoli to it next time too…. yummy! Thank you for sharing!
Bell pepper or mushrooms would be great. Or you can leave them out.
Is there a way to substitute the chicken for something meatless?
Extra potato, sweet potato, a handful of kale or spinach, or a can of chickpeas (drained)!