This quick Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is sure to make you feel better. This comfort food is ready in just 15 minutes.
This soup will make you feel better instantly, or at least it’ll get you headed in that direction. Plus, since it only takes about 15 minutes to make, you can hopefully handle fixing it even if you’re under the weather. Carrots, noodles, and chicken thighs in a tasty broth is just the thing for a comforting bowl of soup!
Scroll down to read more about how it all comes together or click here to jump straight down to the recipe.
Video: Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
Making Chicken Noodle Soup Quickly
There are a few reasons why this soup comes together so quickly and yet tastes so crazily like long-simmered homemade soup. If you’ve got slightly more time, you can try this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe that has extra veggies.
First, butter. You sauté the onions in butter. This doesn’t exactly match the maltz (rendered chicken fat) flavor of a traditional chicken soup but it comes close. Using dark chicken meat (boneless skinless thighs here) also helps get that flavor going.
Second, some key quick-cooking ingredients. Shredded carrots and fine egg noodles. You can buy shredded carrots (sometimes labeled as “matchstick carrots”) in the produce section near the packages of baby carrots. No need to peel or chop these. They’re ready to go straight into your soup and their small size means they’ll cook fast. The fine egg noodles (really thin ones) only need to go into the soup for the last few minutes because their small size gives them a short cooking time.
More Cozy Chicken Recipes
You can browse our collection of chicken recipes or try of of these favorites next.
Lickety Split Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Slurp away the flu with this quicker than quick Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings (10 cups) 1x
- Category: Entrée
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 7 cups no-sodium or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp. neutral oil (vegetable or grape seed)
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 2 cups carrot matchsticks
- 1 small onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper
- 1 bay leaf
- 3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3)
- 2 cups uncooked fine egg noodles (or other noodles with very short required cooking time)
Instructions
- Pour the chicken broth into a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave it on high for 6 minutes.
- Put a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the oil and butter. Roughly chop the carrot matchsticks and add them to the butter.
- Stir. Chop the onion and add it. Stir. Peel and mince the garlic and add it along with the salt, pepper and bay leaf. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
- The broth in the microwaves should be finished around now. Carefully add the hot broth to the pot. Stir. Cover and increase heat to high.
- Chop the chicken into ½ inch pieces. When the broth comes to a boil, stir in the chicken. Bring it back to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute.
- Increase the heat to high and add the fine egg noodles. When it comes back to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until noodles are al dente, about 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
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This post originally appeared in January 2016 and was revised and republished in January 2025.
Laura says
I made some little adjustments to fit with the size of the batch I made, and used what I had in hand, (I always prefer to use my own carrots and slice them up) but this recipe was surprisingly delicious for his fast and easy it was! I’ve now made it several times 🙂
Christine Pittman says
Thank you, Laura! I love how quickly it’s able to come together.
Marion says
Oh my. This was sooooo good. Instead of the chicken legs I used leftover roast chicken that I shredded. I was looking for a quick recipe that wouldn’t take a lot of time and this looked like the best recipe, and it turned out great!!
Christine Pittman says
That’s wonderful, Marion! So happy you enjoyed.
Heather says
I didn’t have Bay, chicken, egg noodles or carrots, so I substituted Thyme, Pork and spaghetti noodles, it came out super tasty with just the perfect amount of seasoning. This is one of those recipes that can adjust to fit anyone’s tastes and cabinet contents and come out perfect. Great recipe and just what I needed! Thank you!
Christine Pittman says
Thank you for sharing your substitutions, Heather! Happy to hear you were able to make it work with what you had.
Lee Ann R says
Made this today for my sick kiddo. Delicious and fast!
Christine Pittman says
Lee Ann, So happy you liked it. Hope your kiddo is feeling better!
Judy Rumsey says
what did I leave out?
Judy Rumsey says
I love the recipes, but the yellow used for titles, etc. are almost impossible to read.
It almost makes me not want to continue reading the recipes b/c I am straining my eyes. Can you please use another color (something darker for more contrast against the white background?). Thanks.