Published: February 14, 2018 | Updated: September 24, 2025
There’s something so special about a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. it’s cozy, flavorful, and always made with love. This is one of my favorite recipes to prepare for my family, especially on chilly evenings when we want something warm and nourishing. I also enjoy sharing it with friends, because nothing says “I care” quite like a steaming bowl of chicken soup made from scratch. With tender chicken, al dente noodles, and a rich broth layered with herbs and spices, this recipe turns simple ingredients into the ultimate comfort food.
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Why You’ll Love This Savory Chicken Noodle Soup
- Rich, flavorful broth – this recipe contains simmering chicken pieces to create your own homemade stock that’s more flavorful than anything in a carton.
- Customizable – use bone-in chicken, boneless chicken breasts, or dark meat like thighs depending on personal preference.
- Versatile – swap noodles for rice soup, or even make your own homemade noodles.
- The ultimate comfort food – perfect for when a family member needs comfort or when you just want a cozy meal.
What Does Savory Chicken Noodle Soup Taste Like?
This isn’t just any easy chicken noodle soup recipe, it’s the most flavorful chicken noodle soup. I was inspired by a bowl of sopa de pollo I had years ago in Colombia. It was so much better than traditional American chicken noodle soup because of the sofrito. The sofrito and fresh herbs in this recipe bring brightness, while adobo, cumin, and garlic powder add depth. The chicken meat becomes tender, juicy, and shreds beautifully, creating a bowl of chicken noodle soup with a savory aroma that fills the kitchen. You’ll love the balance of vegetables, bite-sized pieces of potato, and wide egg noodles soaking in a golden brown, flavorful broth.
Ingredients for Savory Chicken Noodle Soup
Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade soup:
- 11 cups water
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 4–5 chicken thighs or chicken breasts (about 6 oz chicken pieces)
- 6 garlic cloves, minced (or garlic powder as a backup)
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced into bite-sized pieces
- 1–2 carrots, shredded or chopped
- 1/3 cup cilantro (or swap for fresh dill or fresh thyme)
- 1/2 cup sofrito
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1 tsp sazon
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp adobo
- 1–2 cups soup noodles (egg noodles or homemade egg noodles are the best type of noodles for this recipe)
How to Cook Savory Chicken Noodle Soup
Below you will find easy step-by-step instructions to make this chicken noodle soup:
STEP 1: Season the Chicken: Clean chicken thighs or breasts and season with adobo and cumin.
STEP 2: Make the Broth: In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, simmer seasoned chicken in 10 cups water for 1 hour, skimming with a slotted spoon.
STEP 3: Shred the Meat: Remove chicken, discard skin and bones, shred into bite-sized pieces, and return to pot.
STEP 4: Add Vegetables & Spices: Stir in bouillon cube, sofrito, garlic, carrots, cilantro, oregano, sazon, and garlic salt. Simmer 30 minutes.
STEP 5: Cook Potatoes: Add diced potato and simmer 10 minutes.
STEP 6: Add Noodles & Serve: Stir in noodles, cook until al dente, then serve hot with fresh herbs, avocado, or crusty bread.
My Favorite Dutch Oven
Le Creuset Dutch Ovens are my favorite pots to use when making soups. The cast iron construction holds steady heat, making it perfect for simmering soups.
Tips for the Best Chicken Noodle Soup
- Don’t rush the broth: Simmering the chicken slowly over medium heat extracts the best flavor for homemade stock.
- Use sofrito: Add sofrito directly into the broth while it simmers with the chicken and vegetables. This infuses the soup with layers of savory, aromatic flavor and gives the broth a rich, homemade taste that canned chicken stock can’t match.
- Cook noodles separately if freezing: This prevents mushy noodles. Add cooked noodles to each bowl when reheating.
- Personal preference counts: Swap potatoes for rice, add more veggies, or use leftover rotisserie chicken when you’re short on time.
- Make it creamy: For a creamy chicken noodle soup, stir in a splash of heavy cream or evaporated milk at the end.
What is Sofrito?
Sofrito is a flavorful blend of herbs, vegetables, and seasonings that forms the base of many Latin and Caribbean dishes. Typically made with onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, and tomatoes, it adds a bold, aromatic flavor to soups, stews, and rice dishes. You can make your own sofrito at home or buy it pre-made from the grocery store. For this chicken noodle soup recipe, sofrito adds depth and a savory richness that makes the broth taste like it’s been simmering all day.
How to Store Chicken Noodle Soup
- Refrigerator: Store cooled soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: For an easy way to save leftovers, freeze without noodles. Add pre-cooked noodles or homemade noodles when reheating. Soup will keep up to 3 months.
- Reheating: Warm over medium heat in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add a splash of chicken bone broth or water to loosen if needed.
More Soup Favorites from Elicit Folio
FAQ
What’s the best type of noodles for chicken soup?
Wide egg noodles are the classic choice, but homemade egg noodles or even rice can be used.
Can I make creamy chicken noodle soup with this recipe?
Yes! You can simply stir in a little bit of heavy cream or milk toward the end for a creamy chicken noodle soup variation. If you have someone who is sick, be careful with the dairy.
What herbs go best with chicken soup?
Fresh thyme, fresh dill, or a couple of bay leaves all add depth and aroma.
Can I make this in an Instant Pot?
Absolutely! Pressure cook the chicken with water and seasonings for 20 minutes, shred, then add vegetables and noodles.
Is chicken noodle soup actually healthy?
Yes it can be depending on how it's prepared. Homemade chicken noodle soup can be a very healthy choice, especially compared to canned versions from the grocery store. It’s made with simple ingredients like lean chicken meat, fresh vegetables, herbs, and broth. The chicken provides protein, the vegetables add vitamins and fiber, and the broth helps keep you hydrated, making it a great option when you’re under the weather. To keep it even lighter, you can use chicken breasts instead of dark meat, add extra vegetables, or swap wide egg noodles for whole wheat or rice noodles.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 11 cups Water
- 1 cube Chicken Bullion
- 4-5 Chicken Thighs or Breast
- 6 Garlic Cloves minced
- 1 Medium Potato peeled and diced
- 1-2 Carrots shredded, or peeled and chopped
- 1/3 cup Cilantro chopped
- 1/2 cup Sofrito
- 1 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic Salt
- 1 tsp Sazon
- 1 tbsp Cumin
- 1 1/2 tbsp Adobo
- 1.5 cups Soup Noodles
Instructions
- First take your chicken (this could be thighs or breast, but thighs have more flavor), clean, remove skin, and season with about 1.5 tbsp of Adobo and 1 tbsp of cumin. Set this aside in a bowl.
- For this recipe, I recommend taking the time to make your own chicken stock vs just pouring in broth that is pre-manufactured. It will not take a long time, and the flavor is worth the additional wait. To do this, take a stock or dutch oven, and pour in 11 cups of water. Bring this to a boil.
- Once water comes to a boil, reduce the heat, and place seasoned chicken in the pot, and allow this to boil for about 1 hour with the lid on. During this time, check on your chicken periodically in case any fat or foam renders to the top. You can remove this with a spoon.
- After an hour, your chicken will be very tender. Remove the chicken from the pot and pull off any fat. Shred chicken and return it to the pot. You can discard any fat and bones.
- Next add the seasonings and vegetables: 1 chicken bullion cube, 1 tsp sazon, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1 tsp oregano, 1/2 cup sofrito, 6 garlic cloves, minced, 1-2 carrots shredded, 1/3 cup chopped cilantro. Stir these ingredients around, allow them to cook with the chicken for about 30 more minutes, or until the carrots are tender. Once the carrots are tender, add 1 cup of diced potatoes. Allow these to cook for about 10 minutes.
- Once your potatoes are cooked, add 1 cup of soup noodles. Once noodles are al dente, your soup will be ready to eat! Serve and garnish with more cilantro or an avocado. ¡Que Rico! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Craving More?
Whether you’re cooking up a quick and easy dinner or simply craving cozy recipe to enjoy this fall or winter, this will be one of you favorite chicken noodle soup recipes. If you try it, I’d love to see your version! Tag @elicitfolio on Instagram or leave a comment below to let me know how your dish turned out!
Everyone around me is getting sick and there is something about making chicken soup for my family that just makes me feel better about everything. Also, I know this one is Mexican but it reminds me of a Colombian soup that my mom used to make. So excited to have found your site.
Legit so perfect for the cooler months! It’s raining here today, which never happens, and it’s just so cozy, I love it!!
What a great comfort food that’s also perfect for when you’re under the weather. I want to make this soup soon.
Yyyyoooo….all I had to see was the chicken close by and I knew this dish was LIT!!!! Chicken soup is my best any day, any time. I live for it.
I just made a similar version of this soup earlier this week. It was delicious. It’s like a warm hug in your belly 🙂
I plan to make chicken soup this weekend, so I will save your recipe for later. I need to get cilantro.
Such an amazing meal for weeknights! So comforting!
Scratch chicken soup is so underrated. I love cooking soups to stay warm for the winter.
This looks like a really great soup recipe! I generally make my own stock but then I freeze it and there it sits. I will pull some out and give this a try!
Yum! Homemade chicken soup is my absolute favorite. I can’t wait to try this recipe!
Homemade soup is always better during the winter season. I love adding it to our menu throughout the week.
i love soup season! this looks amazing! i’ll have to save it for late 🙂
Your “Our Favorite Chicken Soup this Winter” sounds so delicious! I hope I can cook it next week. Sounds so hearty!
That is a great dish to eat during cold season and it’s easy to make too. The chicken noodle soup looks absolutely delicious!