Easy Stovetop Chicken Noodle Soup

This stovetop chicken noodle soup is better than the canned stuff! Instantly feel better with this nourishing dish that is served in a slightly different way.

This easy stovetop chicken noodle soup puts a twist on the classic comfort food by cooking the chicken soup and noodles (or pasta) separately. 

What you’ll get is a dish that’s impossible to mess up. This also makes it easier to store the wholesome meal!

Imagine a bowl of hot broth loaded with spices, tender shredded chicken, and al dente fusilli. You’ll feel better right at the first sip. 

Once you have made and tasted chicken noodle soup on the stove, it’ll be hard to go back to canned soup. 

What Is Chicken Noodle Soup?

Chicken noodle soup is a variation of the classic comfort dish, chicken soup. And as you have probably guessed from its name, it’s a chicken soup with noodles. 

Every household has its own version of the soothing dish, and in a second, I’ll give you some delicious ideas on what else you can add to take it from “good soup” to “amazing soup.”

This recipe teaches you how to make stovetop chicken noodle soup from scratch.

This chicken noodle soup’s healing broth does not taste flat like the canned ones from the store.

It has layers of flavor from the base of savory vegetables and delectable spices that may seem too many, but trust me, they blend beautifully. 

And instead of egg noodles, we poured this stovetop chicken soup over al dente spirals of fusilli pasta to soak all the chicken goodness. 😋

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

• Simple Ingredients: This stovetop chicken noodle soup is made from scratch with common ingredients. You can even use leftover chicken and whatever noodles or pasta you have on hand. 
• Meal Prep-Friendly: You can make a double batch of this fusilli chicken soup and store the leftovers in the freezer for a quick but wholesome, busy weeknight meal! And since we cooked the noodles and soup separately, you don’t need to worry about mushy noodles in the comfort food. 
• Customizable: Make chicken noodle soup on the stove with your favorite vegetables, spices, and seasonings! This recipe can easily welcome different add-ins, so you can discover a version of chicken noodle soup that’s uniquely yours. 

What Does Stovetop Chicken Noodle Soup Taste Like?

This stovetop chicken noodle soup is packed with flavors that will soothe your taste buds and soul. (Referencing to the popular book series entitled “Chicken Soup for the Soul”)

Every bowl is brimming with savory, complex flavors while maintaining that simple but familiar, cozy taste we love in chicken soup. 

To help you better imagine the flavors of this chicken noodle soup, this recipe starts with a rich, fragrant base of onion, celery, carrots, and garlic cooked in butter. 

Then, the broth, chicken, and more flavor enhancers are added to the pot, fusing into a nourishing soup while cooking the chicken breasts until they’re perfectly tender. 

And when life gives you lemons, I say, use them in your chicken noodle soup!

This game-changer balances the saltiness of the dish. Taste it, and you’ll always make your chicken noodle soup with it. 🍋

And finally, this is not a chicken noodle soup without noodles.

We went for fusilli, but it’s up to you to decide what noodles or pasta you want to bathe in all that yummy goodness. 

Ingredients For Chicken Noodle Soup on the Stove

• Unsalted butter – Even though we won’t simmer this stovetop chicken noodle soup for hours, you’ll still get rich flavors in the broth, thanks to butter. 
• Onion – A must-have for our soup’s flavorful broth. I suggest yellow onion because its mild sweetness goes well with the dish’s saltiness. 
• Celery – Considered a classic ingredient for chicken noodle soup, celery’s peppery taste blends well when softened with the onion, garlic, and carrots. 
• Carrots – You can also add more veggies for a hearty homemade chicken noodle soup. 
• Garlic – Not only does it make the kitchen smell amazing, but garlic also boosts the nourishing goodness of this comfort food. 
• Soy sauce – Our soup’s umami booster.
• Hot sauce – Spice up your stovetop chicken noodle soup, literally, with some hot sauce. It really brings out the rich, savory flavors of the dish!
• Chicken broth – Feel free to use a less sodium broth!
• Chicken breasts – Take note that for this chicken soup with fusilli pasta, we’re using bone-in breasts for more flavor. You can even use skin-on chicken breasts!
• Dried basil – Think of this easy chicken noodle soup as a canvas you can “paint on” with different herbs and spices.
• Dried thyme – A perfect herb for any chicken recipe. 
• Dried oregano – Our list of herbs for this fusilli chicken soup might seem lengthy, but they all combine to make this chicken dinner a real winner. 
• Dried parsley – Adds an earthy flavor that deliciously complements the delicious broth. 
• Turmeric – Some like ginger on their chicken noodle soup, but I think the milder turmeric adds just the right spice to this dish. The golden hue of turmeric also makes this dish look more mouthwatering. 
• Mustard powder – Another excellent flavor booster for classic chicken noodle soup.
• Kosher salt – No need to go overboard since this recipe also uses soy sauce. 😉
• Ground black pepper – You can also sprinkle more black pepper on the soup before serving. 
• Lemon juice – Our secret ingredient for a homemade chicken noodle soup that everyone will crave. 
• Fusilli pasta – You can use any noodle or pasta for this recipe. 
• Salt – For cooking the fusilli.
• Oil – How do you boil your pasta noodles? Some don’t use oil, but I was always taught to add it to the pot. 

Tools Needed To Prepare Fusilli Chicken Soup

• Pot with lid for cooking the chicken noodle soup on the stove
• Silicone spatula for stirring the soup
• Colander for draining the noodles/pasta
• Ladle for serving the soup

Ingredient Additions & Substitutions For Stovetop Chicken Noodle Soup

What kind of noodles is best for chicken noodle soup?

For a classic pot of homemade chicken noodle soup, use wide egg noodles. Their shape is perfect for catching the savory broth. 🤤

Any pasta that can fit in a spoon will also work for this stovetop chicken noodle soup. Besides fusilli, you can also use elbows and shells.

What cut of chicken is best for stovetop chicken noodle soup?

Bone-in breasts are great for a flavorful soup, but you can substitute them with chicken thighs. They don’t dry as quickly as white meat!

If you have rotisserie chicken, they’ll also be great for this stovetop chicken noodle soup. Try this recipe next time you have those unwanted leftover breasts from last night’s dinner. 

Add-ins

Make this comfort dish heartier, if that’s even possible, with extra vegetables!

My personal favorites are tender diced potatoes and sweet bell peppers, but I have also tried chicken noodle soup with corn before, and it was tasty.

How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 ribs celery, diced finely
• 1/2 cup carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 2 lbs bone-in chicken breasts
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups fusilli pasta
• Salt for cooking the pasta
• Oil for cooking the pasta

Tools you need:

• Pot with lid
• Silicone spatula
• Colander
• Ladle

Instructions:

STEP 1: Gather the ingredients for your stovetop chicken noodle soup.

STEP 2: Melt butter over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook for about 4 minutes or until soft.

STEP 3: Next, add the garlic and cook for a minute before stirring in the soy sauce, hot sauce, chicken broth, chicken breasts, herbs, spices, and seasonings.

STEP 4: Once the chicken soup comes to a gentle boil, cover the pot partially and cook the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes more.

STEP 5: Take the chicken breasts out of the pot and shred them. The easiest method is with two forks!

STEP 6: Return the shredded chicken to the soup. Add the lemon juice and bring the chicken soup to a simmer.

STEP 7: Cook the noodles or pasta according to package instructions. They’re made separately from the soup to avoid overcooking them.

STEP 8: Add the drained pasta or noodles to the bowl and pour the chicken soup on top. Enjoy!

What Goes with Chicken Noodle Soup?

Serve your homemade chicken noodle soup with anything and everything!

Enjoy it with buttermilk biscuits, or top the soup with ranch oyster crackers. 😋

Vegetable dishes and fresh salads are also great accompaniments for a hearty meal. Imagine this cozy noodle soup and copycat Sweetgreen Harvest bowl. Colorful and nourishing!

If you’re more into soup + crusty bread, and meaty sandwiches, you’ll love two of our creations.

Slather butter on a slice of homemade baguette, or if you have guests over, impress them with prosciutto mascarpone honeyed arugula bruschetta as appetizers before the fusilli chicken soup.

Craving for meatballs with your chicken soup?

Try our sausage balls with cream cheese! They come together with just 4 ingredients.

Tips About Making Chicken Soup with Fusilli Pasta

• Make this stovetop chicken noodle soup with whatever noodles or pasta you want. We used spirals of fusilli pasta, but you can go with egg noodles for a more classic version of the dish.
• Once the chicken noodle soup on the stove comes to a gentle boil, you want to cover the pot partially and then cook the chicken slowly. It can become dry and tough if you cook it at a rapid boil!
• Make this chicken soup with fusilli pasta in the crockpot! I suggest cooking the soup for 6 hours on low for perfectly tender chicken. Then, assemble the crockpot chicken noodle soup in a bowl with the cooked, drained noodles.

How To Store Chicken Noodle Soup

The best thing about how we made this stovetop chicken noodle soup is it’s easy to store.

Because we cooked the chicken soup and noodles separately, you don’t need to worry about the noodles (or pasta) turning mushy after reheating.

• Fridge: Allow the homemade chicken soup to cool down, then transfer the leftovers into airtight containers. They can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. As for the noodles, they can be stored for 3 to 4 days. 
• Freezer: Store the cooled chicken soup in a freezer-safe container with enough space on top for expansion, then freeze for up to 2 months. On the other hand, cooked noodles can be frozen for 3 months, but I doubt their texture will still be good after thawing. Team freshly cooked pasta/noodles all the way!
• Reheating: The easiest way to reheat your stovetop chicken noodle soup is on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally until it simmers. You can even add a splash of stock to revive its flavor and consistency. If frozen, thaw the leftover chicken noodle soup in the fridge overnight before reheating.

Can You Freeze Chicken Noodle Soup?

Of course! This also makes this stovetop chicken noodle soup a fantastic make-ahead meal for busy weeknights.

You want to make the soup and noodles separately, like what we did in this recipe. 

With noodles or pasta, cook them just under al dente so they won’t get mushy when they’re thawed and reheated. Then, freeze them in a freezable container after they cool down. 

To reheat, toss the thawed pasta into the simmering chicken soup. 

As for the chicken soup, wait for it to cool before freezing in a freezer-safe container. Don’t forget to leave some room on top for expansion!

How to Thicken Chicken Noodle Soup?

Your secret ingredients for a creamy chicken noodle soup are flour and whole milk.

Soften the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic, then add the flour and herbs. The liquid from the softened veggies will combine with the flour.

Next, add the stock and hard veggies if you have any. 

After the soup boils, bring it to a simmer, then stir in whole milk and chicken. 

FAQ About Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Conclusion

If you’re seeking the ultimate comfort food, this stovetop chicken noodle soup is the clear winner.

This chicken soup recipe proves that a bowl of homemade soup is like a big hug. It’s also big on flavors from the fusion of rich butter, savory veggies, earthy herbs, and umami seasonings balanced by the tanginess of lemon juice.

And in every filling spoonful, you’ll get a generous serving of tender chicken and pasta spirals! 😋

You only need simple ingredients to whip this dish up; even leftover rotisserie chicken works if you have some lying around. 

In the mood for a cozy day (or night) at home? Here are some irresistible chicken comfort foods:

• Dutch Oven Chicken Pot Pie
• Stovetop Chicken and Dumplings
• Crockpot White Chicken Chili
• Red Velvet Waffles and Chicken
• Marry Me Chicken Viral TikTok Recipe