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The first cold Saturday of November is chicken noodle soup day in my kitchen, and it starts with a whole chicken, not a carton of broth. The chicken goes into the big pot with cold water, an onion cut in half, a carrot, a stalk of celery and a bay leaf, and it simmers slow and quiet all morning. When the meat falls off the bones it comes out and gets pulled into shreds, the broth is strained back into the pot, gold and shining, and then come fresh carrots, celery, the noodles and the chicken.
Homemade soup goes wrong in two places. The broth turns out thin, pale or cloudy, and the noodles swell in the pot until they are soft and the broth has nearly disappeared. A gentle simmer, never a boil, gives a clear golden broth, and the skin and bones give it body. Cooking the noodles at the very end, or in a separate pot if you plan on leftovers, keeps them firm. Here is how to get a golden, rich broth and noodles that never go soggy.
Why this chicken noodle soup works
- A whole chicken. Bones, skin and dark meat give the broth body and a deep chicken flavor that boxed broth cannot match.
- Cold water to start. Heating slowly from cold draws the flavor out of the chicken and keeps the broth clear.
- A bare simmer, never a boil. A hard boil churns the fat into the broth and turns it cloudy and greasy.
- Fresh vegetables at the end. The vegetables that cooked all morning are spent; fresh carrots and celery give color and bite.
- Noodles cooked last. Thick egg noodles added in the last few minutes stay tender and firm instead of soaking up the broth.
Ingredients
Makes about 4 quarts, 8 generous bowls. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the broth
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.3kg)
- 4 quarts cold water (3.8 liters)
- 1 large onion, halved, skin on
- 1 carrot, cut in 3 pieces
- 1 stalk celery with leaves, cut in 3 pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more to taste
For the soup
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter (15g)
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles (225g)
- Black pepper to taste
A plain whole chicken works best; you can add two extra chicken wings or backs for an even richer broth. Use wide or extra-wide egg noodles; thin noodles break down quickly in hot broth.
How to make chicken noodle soup
Make the broth
- Put the chicken in a large stockpot, breast side up, and pour in the cold water. Add the halved onion, carrot pieces, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt.
- Bring it slowly to a simmer over medium heat. As it heats, skim off the gray foam that rises to the top.
- Turn the heat down so the surface barely trembles, with only a few bubbles. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat pulls easily from the bones.
- Lift the chicken out onto a tray and let it cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl and discard the vegetables.
- Skim most of the fat from the top of the broth, leaving a little for flavor. Pull the chicken meat into bite-size shreds and discard the skin and bones.
Finish the soup
- Wipe out the pot, melt the butter and soften the chopped onion over medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Pour the broth back in, add the sliced carrots and celery and simmer for 10 minutes, until just tender.
- Taste and season the broth with salt and pepper. It should taste rich and well seasoned before the noodles go in.
- Add the egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Stir in the shredded chicken for the last 2 minutes to warm it through, and serve at once.
Tips that make the difference
- Keep the pot uncovered and at a lazy simmer. A lid traps heat and pushes it to a boil.
- Season at the end. The broth reduces as it simmers, so salt it properly only once it is strained.
- Chill the strained broth overnight if you have time. The fat sets on top and lifts off in one piece.
- For leftovers, cook the noodles in a separate pot of salted water and add them to each bowl.
Variations
- Chicken and rice soup. Use 3/4 cup (150g) long-grain rice instead of the noodles and simmer until tender.
- Homemade noodles. Roll out a simple egg and flour dough, cut it into wide strips and cook them in the broth.
- Lemon and dill. Add a squeeze of lemon and a little fresh dill to each bowl.
- Quicker version. Use bone-in chicken thighs instead of a whole chicken and simmer them for 1 hour.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep the soup covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, ideally with the noodles stored separately.
Freeze the broth with the chicken and vegetables, without noodles, for up to 3 months, then cook fresh noodles when you reheat it.
Reheat gently over medium-low heat, adding a splash of water if the noodles have absorbed too much broth.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my chicken broth cloudy?
It boiled. A hard boil breaks the fat and proteins into tiny pieces that float in the broth. Keep it at a bare simmer and skim the foam.
How do I keep the noodles from going soggy?
Add them at the very end and serve right away, or cook them separately and add them to each bowl. Noodles left in the soup keep drinking the broth.
Can I use boxed broth?
You can, but the soup will be thinner. Simmering a whole chicken gives the body and golden color that make this soup.
How do I make the broth more golden?
Leave the onion skin on, use a whole chicken with its skin, and simmer it long and slow. The color deepens as the broth gently reduces.
Put the pot on early on the first cold Saturday and let the house smell like soup all morning.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (From a Whole Chicken, Golden Broth, Noodles That Stay Firm)
Old-fashioned chicken noodle soup made from a whole chicken simmered slowly for a clear, rich golden broth, with tender shredded chicken, carrots, celery and thick egg noodles that never go soggy.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, 4 to 5 pounds
- 4 quarts cold water
- 1 large onion, halved, skin on
- 1 carrot, cut in 3 pieces
- 1 stalk celery with leaves, cut in 3 pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more to taste
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
- 3 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces wide egg noodles
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Put the chicken in a large stockpot, breast side up, and pour in the cold water. Add the halved onion, carrot pieces, celery, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt.
- Bring it slowly to a simmer over medium heat. As it heats, skim off the gray foam that rises to the top.
- Turn the heat down so the surface barely trembles, with only a few bubbles. Simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the meat pulls easily from the bones.
- Lift the chicken out onto a tray and let it cool enough to handle. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into a large bowl and discard the vegetables.
- Skim most of the fat from the top of the broth, leaving a little for flavor. Pull the chicken meat into bite-size shreds and discard the skin and bones.
- Wipe out the pot, melt the butter and soften the chopped onion over medium heat for 4 minutes.
- Pour the broth back in, add the sliced carrots and celery and simmer for 10 minutes, until just tender.
- Taste and season the broth with salt and pepper. It should taste rich and well seasoned before the noodles go in.
- Add the egg noodles and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Stir in the shredded chicken for the last 2 minutes to warm it through, and serve at once.
