The Well Plated Cookbook is here! Healthy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Sometimes I just want my dinner to give me a hug without asking questions. That’s when I make a pot of Healthy Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup.
Creamy chicken noodle soup embraces without explanation. It doesn’t try to solve my problems, nor does it find it strange when I cry for no reason. It’s a girl’s best dinner friend: complete comfort, no pretense.
I first made this recipe for creamy chicken noodle soup while being dominated by the worst stomach bug I’ve had in years. Nothing tasted appealing to me (except, ironically, these Chocolate Mint Brownies), and the last thing my body was prepared to tolerate was standing at the stove for a sustained interval.
How to Make Creamy Chicken Soup from Scratch
This easy creamy chicken noodle soup recipe saved me. You see, the ironic thing about chicken noodle soup is that the time when you most need it—when you are sick, weak, and generally feel as if the world is rejecting you—is also the time when you’re least equipped to cook for yourself. Fortunately, this easy chicken noodle recipe requires only about six 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. (Want easy prep AND hands-off cooking time? Check out my Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup!)
Rather than fuss with a cream-sauce base, the method used to thicken most creamy chicken soup recipes, I simply stirred in a can of evaporated milk during the last 10 minutes of cooking. It adds richness to the soup, keeps the prep minimal, and limits the dishes to a single pot. Plus, it makes the soup lean, mean, and new year’s resolution-friendly.
In fact, this soup is so slim, we have room to add bling. I topped my soup with crunchy blue tortilla chips (is it just me, or do they taste better than the yellow ones?), cilantro, and shredded chipotle cheddar cheese, but feel free to adjust these to suit your soup preferences. The only thing you really need for this soup is a spoon.
What to Serve with Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Salad. Soup + salad = my ideal meal. Pair this soup with a simple salad like Arugula Salad.
- Bread. Soup’s best friend is a crusty loaf of bread that’s perfect for dunking.
- Vegetables. Add more veggies to your meal by serving this soup with a side of Brussels Sprouts Chips.
More Easy Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot Potato Soup
- Curried Carrot Apple Peanut Soup
- Healthy Corn Chicken Chowder
- Ultimate Lean Beef and Pepper Chili
Make it a big spoon.
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 carrots - peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks - diced
- 1/2 yellow onion - chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken*
- 2 1/2 cups uncooked egg dumpling noodles
- 1 can evaporated skim milk - (12 ounces)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Crushed tortilla chips, - 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.
Notes
- *To cook the chicken in the Instant Pot instead, see this post for Instant Pot Chicken.
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