When I set out to develop my own Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe, memories of heart warming aromas and steaming bowls on a cold Nebraska night came rushing back into my mind. My Mom always made the best chicken noodle soup and in true Mom fashion, always knew just when to make it!

When it’s cold, if I was sick, if we already had chili for 3 days in a row…you get the point!

I could literally taste the love and care in every bite, even if I over did it with the crackers. Which is kinda my thing. I love mushin’ stuff up with crackers…what can I say!?

So, I wanted to make mine as easy as possible while similar to hers. Warm, cozy, full of dumpling like noodles, and something the kids would love. Which, I don’t wanna toot my own horn or anything, but…

Toot Toot!

WHATS IN HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

CHICKEN

For this recipe I used boneless chicken breasts and simply quartered them. I also think that chicken thighs would be fantastic for chicken noodle soup but I happened to have some extra chicken breasts on hand from a Brunswick Stew Recipe I was working on. Whichever you prefer will work perfectly.

BROTH

The conversation around broth in soup can sometimes be a big tadoo and rightfully so. Some will say that you MUST make your own broth/stock. Which, yes, it can have more flavor, less sodium, and uses the entirety of an animal.

However, I didn’t do this for my recipe mainly because I was using chicken breast and not a whole chicken. I personally used both Organic Chicken Stock and Low Sodium Chicken Broth. This makes for a fantastic flavor with lower sodium.

VEGETABLES

While there are probably hundreds (if not thousands) of ways to make homemade chicken noodle soup, I stuck to the classic. At least as I know it. I used Celery, Carrots, and Onions. I’m sure due to the ancient history of chicken noodle soup there are plenty of other veggies you can add and I always recommend getting creative with your food too.

NOODLES

OH THE NOODLES…one of the biggest defining factors for me in a quality chicken noodle soup recipe is the noodles. In no way am I knocking other peoples recipes or traditions, but the standard egg noodle just doesn’t cut it for me. A really great thick cut homemade noodle is great, but again…I wanted this recipe to be as easy and quick as possible while still keeping the texture and flavor that I’ve always remembered.

In goes a bag of Reames Frozen Egg Noodles. They’re thick dumpling like noodles that really ‘Rise’ to the occasion, if you will. In fact they rise so much I ended up having to add extra broth to my recipe.

I love mush but I want that from the crackers, not the noodles. That would be like mush on mush and thats way to mushy!

HERBS & SPICES

Never be afraid to season your soups. It can add a ton to the overall flavor profile, especially when your main ingredients are chicken noodles and broth. In my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup I used garlic, bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and black pepper.

I probably would’ve also used some oregano and basil but I didn’t want this to be too similar to my Chicken Orzo Soup recipe.

How to Easily Make Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Not only is this Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup super easy to make, you can have it done with in about thirty minutes using the Instant Pot!

It’s as simple as sautéing the veggies then adding the rest of the ingredients and pressure cooking.

Start out by slicing the carrots, onions, and celery. Set the Instant Pot to sauté and add a stick of butter. Once the butter is just about fully melted pour in the sliced veggies and sauté them for 10 minutes or until fragrant and the onions are translucent.

Now add the garlic, herbs, and spices stirring to completely cover the veggies. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes and then add a tablespoon of chicken-better than bouillon.

Lastly, add a bag of Reames frozen egg noodles, place the quartered chicken breasts of top, and then pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and 4 cups of chicken stock.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook, High, for eight minutes and allow for a five minute natural release, manually releasing the remaining pressure.

Where did Chicken Noodle Soup Originate?

To many, chicken noodle soup seems as American as apple pie.

Well guess what…It is!

If you take into account that apples are native to Asia where they’ve been pairing noodles with chicken and broth since second century AD.

Now, we can’t give all the credit to Asia because there have also been similar pairings from the Romans. Plus, Chicken Soup of all types has been a staple in eastern European Jewish communities well before ever coming to the united states.

In fact, it wasn’t until the early 1900s when chicken soup became common and convenient for Americans. Then in 1934 Cambell’s released the ever so popular, canned Chicken Noodle Soup created by Chef Ernest Lacoutiere.

Is Chicken Noodle Soup Healthy?

Chicken Noodle Soup has a long history of being a go-to recipe for it’s overall health benefits. In Asia for example it’s commonly served to women just after giving birth to help replenish much needed energy and vitamins.

Just like we’ve all grown up eating a hot bowl during cold and flu season. The vegetables provide lots of vitamin C which is important to strengthen the immune system. The noodles provide carbohydrates which help with energy levels and then you get the steam when eating it hot. The steam helps to reduce congestion. Plus, plenty of protein from the chicken!

So, yes…in a sense chicken noodle soup can be healthy and beneficial.

However, homemade chicken noodle soup is typically the way to go as most canned soups contain a lot of sodium which will dehydrate your body. One of the last things you want to do when you have a cold or upset stomach.

With that being said…if you don’t have anyone to make your soup homemade and you aren’t feeling up to it, stick with a low sodium canned soup.

Better yet, make the recipe you just found here, freeze it, and then its ready to go when you’re feeling low…or…when you just want a cozy dinner on a cold winters night.