Chicken
$1.46per plate
Prep
15 min
Chicken · Chicken Soup
Chicken Noodle Soup
This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is the cheapest kind of comfort food, and a pot made from scratch beats the canned version for pennies more. Tender shredded chicken, wide egg noodles, and a classic base of onion, carrots, and celery simmer in a savory herbed broth, so it comes together in about 45 minutes for a cozy weeknight bowl that feeds six at about $1.26 a plate. For a heartier, thicker cousin try our chicken and dumplings, or the creamy chicken gnocchi soup, and see the rest of our cheap chicken recipes, priced up front. It is part of our full collection of soup recipes, each one costed per bowl.
The easiest way to make chicken noodle soup is all in one pot: soften the onion, carrots, and celery in butter, poach whole chicken breasts right in the broth until they reach 165 F, then lift them out to shred and stir back in. Add the egg noodles last and simmer them just until tender, because they keep drinking up the broth, so the soup stays brothy instead of turning into soft pasta.
$1.26per plate
Estimated recipe total
$7.54 · serves 6
Cook
30 min
Total
45 min
Serves
6
Recipe from Budget Plates · https://www.budgetplates.com/chicken-noodle-soup
Equipment
- Large pot
Variations
- Skip the poaching and stir in about 3 cups of shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken instead.
- Use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead of breast; poach the same way to 165 F.
- Use ditalini, broken spaghetti, or any small pasta shape instead of wide egg noodles.
- Add a squeeze of lemon, chopped fresh dill, or a Parmesan rind for extra brightness.
1 How to make it
1
Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 6 to 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds so it turns fragrant without burning. This onion, carrot, and celery base is what gives the broth its classic, savory backbone.
2
Poach the chicken
Pour in the chicken broth, add the thyme and the bay leaf, and lower in the whole chicken breasts. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach for 15 to 18 minutes, until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165 F on an instant-read thermometer. Keep it at a soft simmer rather than a hard boil; boiling toughens the meat, while a gentle poach keeps it tender and juicy.
3
Shred the chicken
Lift the cooked chicken out onto a plate, let it rest a minute, then shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks and return it to the pot. Shredding it after it comes out lets you check that it is cooked all the way through with no pink left in the center.
4
Cook the noodles
Bring the broth back to a simmer, stir in the egg noodles, and cook 6 to 8 minutes, until just tender. Cooking the noodles right in the broth gives them more flavor, but they keep drinking it up, so serve the soup soon after they are done.
5
Season and serve
Fish out the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and, if you like, a squeeze of lemon to brighten it. Season with salt and pepper to taste, adding a little at a time since broth varies in how salty it is, then ladle into bowls.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken. Skip the poaching and stir in about 3 cups of shredded cooked or rotisserie chicken when the noodles are almost done. It makes this a fast weeknight soup and a great way to use up leftovers.
- Chicken thighs for breast. Boneless skinless thighs are usually cheaper and stay especially tender in soup. Poach them the same way, to 165 F, then shred.
- Any short pasta for the egg noodles. Wide egg noodles are classic, but ditalini, broken spaghetti, or any small shape works. Match the cook time on the package and pull it a touch early, since it keeps softening in the hot broth.
- Brighten it up (optional). A squeeze of lemon, a handful of chopped fresh dill, or a Parmesan rind simmered in the broth adds brightness and depth for pennies. None of it is required for a classic bowl.
3 Budget tips
- One pound of chicken, a bag of egg noodles, and cheap onion, carrots, and celery make a big pot that feeds six.
- Egg noodles and pasta are pennies a serving and stretch the pot further than more meat would.
- Rotisserie or leftover chicken makes this faster and turns odds and ends into a whole dinner.
- Broth is the cheapest way to stretch soup; add a cup or two more to feed extra people from the same pot.
- See more recipes priced per serving in the Budget Plates Index.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The noodles keep soaking up broth as they sit, so the soup thickens in the fridge and needs a splash more broth when you reheat.
Freezer
Chicken noodle soup freezes best without the noodles, which turn soft and mushy once frozen and thawed. To make it ahead, freeze the broth, chicken, and vegetables for up to 3 months, then reheat and cook fresh noodles in the pot before serving.
Reheating
Reheat gently over medium heat, stirring in a splash of broth or water to loosen it back to a brothy soup, since the noodles thicken it as it sits. Taste and add a little salt, since the noodles soak up seasoning as they stand.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
240
Protein
20g
Fat
7g
Carbs
27g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
How do I know the chicken is cooked through?
Poach it until the thickest part reaches 165 F on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 to 18 minutes at a gentle simmer. Pulling it out to shred also lets you check that there is no pink left in the center before it goes back in.
How do I keep the noodles from getting mushy?
Add them near the end, cook just until tender, and serve the soup soon after. The noodles keep absorbing broth, so if you know you will have leftovers, cook the noodles separately and add them by the bowl, or expect the soup to thicken and just loosen it with a splash of broth.
Can I use rotisserie or leftover chicken?
Yes. Skip the poaching step and stir in about 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken when the noodles are almost done. It turns this into a fast weeknight soup and a great way to use up a rotisserie bird.
Can I freeze chicken noodle soup?
Yes, though the noodles soften the longer they sit. For the best texture, freeze the soup before adding noodles and cook fresh ones when you reheat. If you freeze the finished soup, it is still good; just expect softer noodles. It keeps for up to 3 months, thawed in the fridge and reheated on the stovetop.
What noodles work best?
Wide egg noodles are the classic choice and hold their shape well in broth. Ditalini, rotini, or broken spaghetti work too, so use whatever is cheapest. Whichever you pick, pull it a touch early since it keeps softening in the hot broth.
How is $1.26 a plate figured?
About $7.54 for the whole pot, six bowls, so roughly $1.26 each. The chicken is most of the cost; the noodles, broth, and vegetables are cheap. Bread or crackers to serve are figured separately.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
As an Amazon Associate, Budget Plates may earn from qualifying purchases.
- 12-inch nonstick skillet. A wide nonstick skillet browns ground meat, fries rice, and builds a one-pan sauce with less oil and easier cleanup. Best for everyday stovetop dinners like skillet meals, fried rice, pasta sauces, and patties.
- Cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat for a deep sear and moves from stovetop to oven, and it lasts for decades with basic care. Best for searing chops and chicken, and recipes that start on the stove and finish in the oven.
- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
Feeding a crowd tonight? This one is also part of our Easy Family Dinner Recipes collection.
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