Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

My Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is comfort food at its most satisfying. A rich, creamy broth is filled with a medley of vegetables, shredded chicken breast, aromatic herbs and tender noodles. And although creamy, it is a light, warming soup with a silky texture. This creamy version of a classic has the same soothing, restorative power.

Course Main Course

Cuisine International

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Servings people

Calories 567kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 1
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium brown/yellow onion - peeled and finely diced
1 large carrot - washed, finely diced
2 ribs celery - finely diced
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1 tablespoon plain/all-purpose flour See Note 2
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary - finely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme - finely chopped
1 piece Parmesan rind – about 7 ½ cm/3 inches See Note 3
4 ½ cups (1.125 litres) chicken stock See Note 4
2 skinless/boneless chicken breasts – approx. 400 g (14 oz total weight)
1 medium zucchini/courgette – cut into small cubes
120 g (4.2 oz) noodles - egg noodles or pasta of your choice, about 3cm/1 inch in length
½ cup (125 ml) heavy whipping/thickened cream See Note 5
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to taste See Note 6

To Serve:

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley – finely chopped, for serving

Instructions

Add olive oil and butter to a large saucepan, and over medium heat, add the diced onion, carrot and celery and sauté gently for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften and the onion becomes translucent. Stir occasionally.
Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Then, add the flour, stir and cook for a further 2minutes.
To the vegetables, add in the stock, chicken breast, herbs and Parmesan rind. Make sure the chicken breasts are submerged with the liquid.
Over low heat, with the lid on, gently bring to a simmer.
Simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and registers 74 C (165 F) on a thermometer.
Remove the chicken breasts and set aside on a chopping board to rest for 5 minutes before shredding with two forks. Set aside.
Add the zucchini to the pan and bring back to a simmer.
Add the noodles and cook until they are just al dente. Stir well so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan. The cooking time will vary depending on the noodles you use.
When the noodles have almost finished cooking, add in the cream and return the chicken to the pan.
Check that the seasoning is to your liking.
If the soup is too thick, add a little extra stock.
Ladle the soup into bowls, discarding the parmesan rind.
Serve with finely chopped fresh parsley.
If not serving immediately, keep in mind the soup will thicken on standing and more stock may be required.

Notes

Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons). For readers located elsewhere in the world, please use 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon for each listed tablespoon.
Gluten-free: adapt this recipe to gluten-free by using the appropriate flour and pasta/noodles.
Parmesan Rind: a small piece of leftover Parmesan rind softens as the soup cooks and adds great flavour.
Stock: you could also use vegetable stock.
Cream: for a creamy texture and best flavour, use full-fat cream. Thickened/heavy whipping cream should have a minimum 35% fat content.
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add some red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
Make-ahead: if you are not serving the soup straight away, I recommend that you cook the noodles separately and add them when warming the soup. The noodles may absorb liquid, some varieties more than others, as they sit in the broth and soften.
Storage and reheating: store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. It can be reheated on the stove or in the microwave. The soup will thicken while standing, so just add some more stock or water.
Freezing: this recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Nutrition