When you need dinner to give you a hug without asking any questions, make a pot of easy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Healthier, thanks to evaporated skim milk, and topped with a bit of southwest flair, you can add this to your list of easy chicken soup recipes that are good for the soul.
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Whether I’m feeling a little under the weather or am having a hectic work week, a recipe that’s ridiculously easy and can be ready in under 45 minutes is a win in my book.
While soup recipes certainly hit the spot on a cold day, chicken soups in particular have an intrinsically nourishing quality.
Whether they lean brighter and lighter like Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, or thick and rich like Chicken Stew or Chicken and Gnocchi Soup, they comfort in a special way.
This shortcut chicken noodle soup is the one for when you’ve had a long day, have a cold or the flu and want chicken soup to feel better, or it’s 6 p.m. and you’re starving.
Thanks to yummy toppings, it’s especially kid-friendly too.
5 Star Review
“This was perfect. My family devoured it and said they definitely want it again.”
— Marie —
About this Fast, Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Enter the BEST creamy chicken noodle soup with a host of healthy, time-saving ingredients:
- Leftover shredded chicken or cooked rotisserie chicken greatly reduces both the cooking and prep time often associated with old-fashioned recipes. This shredded chicken recipe is my favorite way to make it. You can use leftover shredded chicken for Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup too!
- Evaporated skim milk adds extra richness to their soul-satisfying bowl of comfort without the fat and calories of heavy cream.
- Southwest toppings like pepper jack cheese, chopped cilantro, and crushed tortillas chips put a spin on this classic sick day soup. (This White Chicken Chili is another soup with some south-of-the-border flair.)
How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup from Scratch
The ironic thing about chicken noodle soup is that when you most need it—when you are sick or drained from a busy work week—is also when you’re least equipped to cook.
Fortunately, this easy chicken noodle recipe requires only about 10 minutes of sustained effort.
Once the veggies are chopped, the rest of the recipe consists of throwing things into the pot and sitting immobile as they simmer.
More Ways to Enjoy Chicken and Noodles
For more chicken recipes with easy prep and hands-off cooking, check out my Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.
The Ingredients
- Chicken. Tender, shredded chicken breast gives this soup its classic taste. Rich in lean protein, the chicken also makes the soup more satisfying.
Tip!
Cut this recipe time even further by swapping in precooked chicken or leftover chicken made with one of these easy methods (or use store-bought rotisserie chicken):
- Baked. Baked Chicken Breast or Baked Bone-In Chicken Breast
- Shredded. How to Cook Shredded Chicken, Crock Pot Shredded Chicken, or Instant Pot Chicken
- Air Fryer. Air Fryer Chicken Breast or Air Fryer Whole Chicken
- Grilled. Grilled Chicken Breast or Smoked Chicken Breast
- Mirepoix. Just like in Turkey Soup, celery, carrots, onion, and garlic make up the mirepoix mixture for this recipe. These simple ingredients make classic chicken noodle soup taste like, well, chicken noodle soup!
TIP!
Want to make this recipe even easier? Scan your supermarket’s prepared produce section for a container of pre-chopped mirepoix vegetables. It’s usually more expensive than chopping yourself, but when you are super busy or feeling like junk, it can be a worthwhile splurge.
- Chicken Broth. The flavorful liquid base for this creamy soup. You could also try making this soup with immune-boosting bone broth for some added nutritional benefits.
- Egg Noodles. Call me a traditionalist, but when I’m sick, nothing sounds better than creamy chicken soup with egg noodles.
- Flour + Evaporated Milk. All-purpose flour and evaporated milk are an easy way to thicken chicken noodle soup. These two make the soup thick and creamy without the cholesterol or saturated fat of heavy cream (you’ll see the same trick applied in this Slow Cooker Broccoli Cheese Soup).
- Spices + Herbs. Salt, pepper, and oregano elevate the overall flavor of the soup without distracting from the other ingredients.
Toppings Ideas
While you can certainly keep this soup classic and enjoy it as it is, I love using toppings to create a southern style creamy chicken noodle soup: add cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, and pepper jack cheese.
Or, for more traditional toppings, garnish with fresh herbs such as thyme, parsley, or dill and top with your favorite soup crackers.
The Directions
- Sauté the mirepoix in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic. Stir in the flour.
- Add the low sodium chicken broth, then bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken, noodles, and remaining ingredients. Cook for 10 minutes. Add desired toppings and ENJOY!
Storage Tips
- To Store. Refrigerate creamy chicken soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- To Reheat. Rewarm leftovers in a large pot on the stovetop over medium-low to medium heat or in the microwave in a large bowl.
- To Freeze. Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Meal Prep Tip
Up to 1 day in advance, cook and shred the chicken and chop the mirepoix ingredients (carrots, celery, and onion). Refrigerate each separately in airtight storage containers.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
While this creamy chicken soup is a satisfying one-pot meal that can be enjoyed on its own, it can also be paired with a variety of tasty accompaniments too.
- Crackers. I love the zesty zip these Ranch Crackers lend this easy chicken soup.
- Bread. For an added layer of carb comfort, try dunking a hunk of this Rosemary Olive Oil Bread, Beer Bread, or No Knead Focaccia into your bowl of soup.
- Salad. Pair this healthy creamy chicken soup with a Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, Arugula Salad, or Winter Salad for added vegetable goodness.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Dutch Oven. Perfect for prepping this easy chicken noodle soup.
- Extra Large Cutting Board. The extra space is wonderful for recipes like this one.
- Ladle. My favorite way to serve soups and stews.
Sending you a big spoonful of comfort in the form of this creamy chicken noodle soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
For gluten-free chicken noodle soup, swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour like this one, and make sure your egg noodles are gluten free. Be sure to watch the cooking time, as gluten-free noodles may cook more quickly than regular noodles. You could also play around with omitting the pasta and make a creamy chicken noodles soup with potatoes instead.
For ultra-decadent soup, you could try making this into a creamy chicken noodle soup with cream cheese if you don’t have evaporated milk on hand. While I haven’t tested it myself, I think it would turn out fine and would make the soup SUPER rich and creamy. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature and dice it into small pieces before adding it so that it melts evenly.
Absolutely, you can swap cooked, shredded chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for this creamy chicken noodle soup. Or use bite-sized sautéed chicken pieces.
Typically, you will see some soups thickened with a roux, cornstarch slurry, or using heavy cream. Roux is where you melt butter, whisk in flour, and add milk. This soup uses flour and evaporated milk as the thickeners.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Video
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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
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Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks diced
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken*
- 2 ½ cups uncooked egg dumpling noodles
- 12 ounces evaporated skim milk
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Crushed tortilla chips, or shredded pepper jack cheese, and cilantro, optional for serving
Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Sauté the carrots, celery, and onion until beginning to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and cook for 1 minute, stirring continually.
- Slowly stir in the broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the chicken, noodles, evaporated milk, salt, oregano, and pepper. Stir to combine. Cook the soup for 10 minutes, until the noodles are al dente.
- Serve warm, garnished with crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and cilantro.
Video
Notes
- *INGREDIENT NOTE: To cook the chicken in the Instant Pot instead, see this post for Instant Pot Chicken. To cook the chicken in the oven, see this post for Baked Chicken Breast.
- TO STORE: Refrigerate soup in an airtight storage container for up to 4 days.
- TO REHEAT: Rewarm leftovers in a pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Nutrition
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I was sick with the flu a few weeks ago and definitely had that “I need chicken noodle soup but cannot possibly even think about cooking it right now” moment. This definitely will be my go-to next time I find myself in that state ;) But honestly, it looks so good I may just have to make it sooner. Happy New Year, friend! Hoping 2015 is your best year ever.
Gak!!! Sorry about the stomach bug. Really sorry. Great soup. Love the noodles that were chose and the blue chips for something different. I never tire of this flavor of soup.
I made this on Tuesday thinking it would be enough to eat and have for the freezer. My kids loved it so much that they all had seconds, including my 4 year old who was eating dinner for the second time after spending the evening with his grandfather. My husband didn’t get to eat at all (he works nights in the ICU ) and he is begging me to make it again so he can try the soup the kids keep telling him about! Great recipe! Looking forward to the time you put together a cookbook! For now, I have the recipes in page protectors in a binder!
Hayden, I’m so happy to hear that your entire family loved this!! It makes my day :) Thanks so much for letting me know, and I hope you enjoy the second batch just as much!
Any chance this can be done in a crockpot??
Hi Emily, this is really meant to be a quick heat it up on the stove type of recipe, but I think that with some experimentation you could make it in the crockpot, though I haven’t tested it this way. My best suggestion is to complete the recipe through step 1 on the stove, and then transfer it to the crockpot, add the ingredients in step 2, and cook until the noodles are done, which usually takes around 30 minutes in the crockpot. Basically you would be doing everything on the stove then just transferring it to the crockpot to cook the noodles and stay warm. It wouldn’t really save much effort, but if you’re looking to keep it warm for a while without having the stove on, that may work. (You also might be interested in this crockpot Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup!)
Thank you so much! The Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup is the perfect substitute!
This is such a yummy and easy chicken noodle soup! I love the smoothness of it thanks to the evaporated milk! I actually had to leave the chicken out because I didn’t have any thawed and I wanted to make this immediately when I read it. I added a can of cannellini beans to give it some protein and it’s pretty good. I’d imagine next time when I use chicken it’ll be even better! Thanks for another great recipe!
Jess, I’m so glad you enjoyed the soup! Thanks for sharing this great review!
Quick easy and deliciously creamy! Love the cilantro on top, never thought of that before with chicken noodle!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Kristin! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
So yummy! So approachable and so delicious. I made this when 3/4 of my household (including me!) were sick, and Erin was right — most of the cook time was the soup self-simmering on the stove while I recuperated on the couch!
Easy to make gluten free with cup-for-cup g-free flour and g-free noodles.
This is the first well-plates recipe I’ve tried, and it was so do-able and so delicious, I can’t wait to try more!
Hi Betsy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This was perfect. My family devoured it and said they definitely want it again. Thank you!
Hi Marie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This Chicken Noodle Soup is the best! So creamy! We like our soup on the thicker side, so I used only 6 cups stock. Also I didn’t add the salt since even with the low sodium stock, there’s still plenty of salt, but did add double the pepper!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Heather! Thank you!
So easy and so good! I used the pre chopped Mirepoix from Trader Joe’s to make it really quick!
Hi Angela! So glad you enjoyed the soup! Thank you for this kind review!
This was really good, and even better reheated the next day. The next time I make it, I plan to try swapping out dill for the oregano.
Hi Laura! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
We love this soup. It is so full of taste and it is lighter because of the evaported skim milk instead of a cream alternative. The soup is on our regular rotation! I have not used egg noodles. Instead I opt to make a batch of fresh spaetzle and then add the noodles to the hot soup when ready to serve. (Then I freeze the extra spaetzle and use the next time I make this soup). I have enough soup to freeze for 2 more meals and I personally dislike putting noodles in a soup which will be frozen, I prefer to add the noodle component fresh! Delicious, 5 stars!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
could I sub Coconut milk for evaporated milk to make dairy free?
Hi Gigi1956! I’ve only tested this recipe as is, but doing a quick Google search it seems like you could. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
This is amazing. Yes I made stock from scratch, added fresh mushrooms. Best ever this will be go to CNS recipe.. thanks Erin
Hi KC! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I would make this recipe again. I used this recipe for our leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, also used homemade bone broth from the turkey bones. It was amazing!!
So glad it worked well for you, Donna! Thank you!
I would make this recipe again
This soup was amazing!!! I’m diabetic and lived how I could make small changes to keep within my carb count without messing up the taste. I did not use the chips and cooked the noodles separately. My husband could then add them when he was ready to eat, and I could add just a few. I also ate it without the noodles and it was still amazing. Can’t wait to make it again.
So gla to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you!