Description
This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is cozy and comforting, with tender chicken, egg noodles, vegetables, and fresh spinach in a silky broth that’s rich without being heavy. An easy, family-friendly dinner and a delicious way to use leftover chicken!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, chopped small
- 2 carrots, chopped small
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded (see notes)
- 2 cups dried egg noodles
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half, more to taste
- 3/4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- Garnish: chives (optional), a squeeze of lemon juice
Instructions
- Want to make your own quick and easy broth? See notes below.
- Sauté aromatics and veggies. In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil and onion, and sauté for a few minutes. Lower heat to medium. Add celery, carrots, and garlic, stirring often for 8-10 minutes, until the veggies are softened.
- Thicken. Stir in the flour, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, coating the veggies evenly. Add the chicken broth, turn up to medium-high heat, stir and bring to a boil.
- Simmer. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Add cooked chicken and noodles. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked and the soup thickens.
- Finish. Stir in heavy cream, spinach, and parsley.
- Season. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve in bowls with a garnish of chives and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
For a thicker texture, add 1 cup diced potato with the veggies.
3 ways to go on the chicken. 1. Make the broth with bone-in chicken: Sear bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, then add onion, garlic, bay leaf, celery, carrot, 10 cups water, salt, and pepper. Simmer 30-60 minutes; remove the chicken, then strain the broth for the soup. Shred or chop chicken add to the soup. 2. Use chicken breast. Simmer whole chicken breasts in the broth until just cooked through, then slice or shred and add back to the soup—or slice thinly and add near the end of cooking. 3. Use leftover cooked chicken An easy option when you have leftover roast or poached chicken. Shred or chop and add it toward the end, cooking just long enough to warm through.
Store leftovers 3-4 days in the fridge; keep in mind the noodles will swell.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ⅓ cup
- Calories: 318
- Sugar: 4.6 g
- Sodium: 278.7 mg
- Fat: 12.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.6 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 77.1 mg
