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When you need dinner to give you a hug without asking any questions, make a pot of easy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Healthier, thanks to evaporated skim milk, and topped with a bit of southwest flair, you can add this to your list of easy chicken soup recipes that are good for the soul.
Whether I’m feeling a little under the weather or am having a hectic work week, a recipe that’s ridiculously easy and can be ready in under 45 minutes is a win in my book.
While soup recipes certainly hit the spot on a cold day, chicken soups in particular have an intrinsically nourishing quality.
Whether they lean brighter and lighter like Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, or thick and rich like Chicken Stew or Chicken and Gnocchi Soup, they comfort in a special way.
This shortcut chicken noodle soup is the one for when you’ve had a long day, have a cold or the flu and want chicken soup to feel better, or it’s 6 p.m. and you’re starving.
Thanks to yummy toppings, it’s especially kid-friendly too.
5 Star Review
“This was perfect. My family devoured it and said they definitely want it again.”
— Marie —
About this Fast, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Enter the BEST creamy chicken noodle soup with a host of healthy, time-saving ingredients:
- Leftover shredded chicken or cooked rotisserie chicken greatly reduces both the cooking and prep time often associated with old-fashioned recipes. This shredded chicken recipe is my favorite way to make it.
- Evaporated skim milk adds extra richness to their soul-satisfying bowl of comfort without the fat and calories of heavy cream.
- Southwest toppings like pepper jack cheese, chopped cilantro, and crushed tortillas chips put a spin on this classic sick day soup. (This White Chicken Chili is another soup with some south-of-the-border flair.)
How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
The ironic thing about chicken noodle soup is that when you most need it—when you are sick or drained from a busy work week—is also when you’re least equipped to cook.
Fortunately, this easy chicken noodle recipe requires only about 10 minutes of sustained effort.
Once the veggies are chopped, the rest of the recipe consists of throwing things into the pot and sitting immobile as they simmer.
The Ingredients
- Chicken. Tender, shredded chicken breast gives this soup its classic taste. Rich in lean protein, the chicken also makes the soup more satisfying.
Tip!
Cut this recipe time even further by swapping in precooked chicken, made with one of these easy methods (or even store bought rotisserie chicken):
- Mirepoix. Just like in Turkey Soup, celery, carrots, onion, and garlic make up the mirepoix mixture for this recipe. These simple ingredients make classic chicken noodle soup taste like, well, chicken noodle soup!
TIP!
Want to make this recipe even easier? Scan your supermarket’s prepared produce section for a container of pre-chopped mirepoix vegetables. It’s usually more expensive than chopping yourself, but when you are super busy or feeling like junk, it can be a worthwhile splurge.
- Chicken Broth. The flavorful liquid base for this creamy soup. You could also try making this soup with immune-boosting bone broth for some added nutritional benefits.
- Egg Noodles. Call me a traditionalist, but when I’m sick, nothing sounds better than creamy chicken soup with egg noodles.
- Flour + Evaporated Milk. All-purpose flour and evaporated milk are an easy way to thicken chicken noodle soup. These two make the soup thick and creamy without the cholesterol or saturated fat of heavy cream (you’ll see the same trick applied in this Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup).
- Spices + Herbs. Salt, pepper, and oregano elevate the overall flavor of the soup without distracting from the other ingredients.
Toppings Ideas
While you can certainly keep this soup classic and enjoy it as it is, I love using toppings to create a southern style creamy chicken noodle soup: add cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and pepper jack cheese.
Or, for more traditional toppings, garnish with fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, or dill and top with your favorite soup crackers.
The Directions
- Sauté the mirepoix in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic. Stir in the flour.
- Add the low sodium chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, noodles, and remaining ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes. Add desired toppings and ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate creamy chicken soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a large pot on the stovetop over medium-low to medium heat or in the microwave in a large bowl.
- To Freeze. Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day in advance, cook and shred the chicken and chop the mirepoix ingredients (carrots, celery, and onion). Refrigerate each separately in airtight storage containers.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
While this creamy chicken soup is a satisfying one-pot meal that can be enjoyed on its own, it can also be paired with a variety of tasty accompaniments too.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
My Go-To Dutch Oven
With an endless amount of uses and high-quality design, this Dutch oven is worthy of the investment. It will last a lifetime!
Sending you a big spoonful of comfort in the form of this creamy chicken noodle soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
For gluten-free chicken noodle soup, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour like this one, and make sure your egg noodles are gluten free. Be sure to watch the cooking time, as gluten-free noodles may cook more quickly than regular noodles. You could also play around with omitting the pasta and make a creamy chicken noodles soup with potatoes instead.
For ultra-decadent soup, you could try making this into a creamy chicken noodle soup with cream cheese if you don’t have evaporated milk on hand. While I haven’t tested it myself, I think it would turn out fine and would make the soup SUPER rich and creamy. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature and dice it into small pieces before adding it so that it melts evenly.
Absolutely, you can swap cooked, shredded chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for this creamy chicken noodle soup. Or use bite-sized sautéed chicken pieces.
Typically, you will see some soups thickened with a roux, cornstarch slurry, or using heavy cream. Roux is where you melt butter, whisk in flour, and add milk. This soup uses flour and evaporated milk as the thickeners.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Video
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- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1/2 yellow onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken*
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked egg dumpling noodles
- 12 ounces evaporated skim milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Crushed tortilla chips, or shredded pepper jack cheese, and cilantro, optional for serving
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring continually.
Slowly stir in the broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the chicken, noodles, evaporated milk, salt, oregano, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook the soup for 10 minutes, until the noodles are al dente.
Serve warm, garnished with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
- *INGREDIENT NOTE: To cook the chicken in the Instant Pot instead, see this post for Instant Pot Chicken. To cook the chicken in the oven, see this post for Baked Chicken Breast.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Serving: 1(of 8)Calories: 243kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 28gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 48mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8g
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