Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

A creamy chicken noodle soup recipe should bring more than a rich broth to the bowl. This version combines tender shredded chicken, pasta, carrots, celery, corn, dill, and a smooth cream finish for a soup that feels substantial while remaining familiar and comforting. The vegetables are prepared in two ways: some are grated into the soup base, while sliced carrots remain visible among the noodles and chicken.

The soup begins with chicken thighs simmered in broth and water, then builds flavor with sautéed onion, carrots, and celery. A butter-and-flour roux is blended with hot broth and heavy cream before it is stirred into the pot, creating the creamy finish without changing the soup into a sauce-heavy dish.

There is useful flexibility in the ingredient choices. Bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs work, and the pasta can be rotini, egg noodles, broken spaghetti, or another favorite kind. Fresh corn is preferred when it is in season, while sweet canned corn works in winter.

Plan on about an hour from start to finish and eight soup bowls. Preparing the onion, carrots, and celery before turning on the stove keeps the cooking sequence organized and makes it easier to move between the soup pot, sauté pan, and saucepan.

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth (w used low sodium)

• 5 cups water

• Salt to taste

• 3-4 chicken thighs (skinless (bone-in or boneless))

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)

• 3 medium carrots (2 carrots grated, 1 carrot sliced into thin rings or half circles)

• 2 medium celery stalks (finely chopped or thinly sliced if you prefer)

• 2 cups pasta such as rotini (egg noodles, or your favorite kind)

• 1 cup corn (from 15 oz can, or preferably 1 cooked cob)

• 4 Tbsp unsalted butter

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup heavy cream

• 3 Tbsp fresh or frozen dill

• 1 tsp Mrs. Dash (or your favorite salt-free seasoning)

The ingredient list is built around a broth-based soup that becomes creamy near the end. Use a high-quality low-sodium chicken broth or homemade chicken broth. The broth and water provide the liquid base, while salt is added to taste so the finished seasoning can be adjusted after the cream, dill, and salt-free seasoning are incorporated.

Chicken thighs are used here for tender, flavorful bites, and they do not need to be trimmed before boiling. Either bone-in or boneless skinless thighs can be used; bones and excess fat are removed after the chicken has cooled enough to handle. The two carrot preparations serve different visual purposes in the soup: grated carrots go into the sautéed vegetable base, while the sliced carrot is added later with the pasta and corn.

Fresh corn is preferred when it is in season, and sweet canned corn is a suitable winter option. The pasta choice is open within the listed options, so rotini, egg noodles, broken spaghetti, or another favorite kind can be used. For the creamy version, butter, flour, and heavy cream are all part of the finishing mixture. If using the regular chicken noodle variation instead, the butter, flour, and heavy cream step is omitted.

How to Make Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Prepare the ingredients before heating the stove: finely chop the onion, grate two carrots, slice the remaining carrot into thin rings or half circles, and chop or thinly slice the celery. Set out a large soup pot or Dutch oven, a large pan, a medium saucepan, a knife, a cutting board, and a ladle.

1. In the large soup pot, combine 6 cups chicken broth, 5 cups water, and 1/2 Tbsp salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, add the chicken thighs without trimming the fat, and boil uncovered for 20 minutes. Skim off impurities that rise to the surface.

2. While the chicken cooks, place the large pan over medium heat and add 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add the chopped onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the grated carrots and celery, and sauté for 5–7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and golden. Transfer them to the soup pot.

3. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and let them rest until they are cool enough to handle. Shred the meat with forks or your hands, discarding the bones and fat, which should come off easily. Return the shredded chicken to the pot; this will usually happen after the next step because the chicken can cool while the pasta and vegetables cook.

4. Add the 2 cups pasta, sliced carrots, and corn to the soup pot. Continue cooking for 15 minutes at a low boil, until the pasta reaches the desired softness. If you prefer a lighter soup, skim excess oil from the surface at this point.

5. For the creamy finish, melt 4 Tbsp butter in the medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in 1/3 cup flour and cook, whisking constantly, for 1–2 minutes, or until the mixture is just barely turning golden. Use the ladle to add 1 cup hot broth from the soup pot to the flour mixture, whisking continually until blended. Whisk in 1/2 cup heavy cream, then transfer the mixture to the soup pot and stir until well blended.

6. Season with 1 tsp Mrs. Dash or another salt-free seasoning, then add more salt to taste if needed. Add 3 Tbsp dill, return the soup to a boil, and turn off the heat.

The order matters most around the roux. The hot broth is added gradually while whisking, and the cream goes into that blended mixture before it is transferred to the soup pot. This gives the final soup its creamy consistency while keeping the method organized across the three cooking vessels.

Variations

The most direct variation changes the soup from creamy to traditional chicken noodle soup. Omit the butter, flour, and heavy cream step, then continue with the seasoning and dill in step 6. The broth, chicken, vegetables, pasta, and corn remain part of the soup. For another recipe idea, explore Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe.

The pasta can also change within the recipe’s flexible options. Use rotini, egg noodles, broken spaghetti, or your favorite kind. The pasta shape changes the way the noodles sit in each spoonful, but the recipe does not require one specific variety. For another recipe idea, explore Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.

For the corn, use fresh corn from one cooked cob when it is in season. Sweet canned corn from a 15 oz can is the winter option. Dill can be replaced with your favorite herb if desired, while Mrs. Dash can be replaced with another salt-free seasoning. The chicken thighs may be bone-in or boneless, as long as bones and fat are discarded after shredding.

Serving Suggestions

Ladle the finished creamy chicken noodle soup into warm bowls. The recipe yields 8 soup bowls, making it suited to serving as a full pot of soup rather than a small starter. Each bowl brings together the shredded chicken, pasta, vegetables, corn, creamy broth, and dill-seasoned finish. You can also browse Coconut Cream Pie for another option.

Soft crusty French bread is the supported accompaniment. Serve it alongside the soup so it can be enjoyed with the creamy broth. The bread adds a simple contrast to the spoonable soup without requiring any additional preparation described in the recipe.

Storage and Make-Ahead

The supported make-ahead step is ingredient preparation before cooking. Chop the onion, grate two carrots, slice the remaining carrot, and chop or thinly slice the celery before turning on the stove. Having these ingredients ready allows the sautéing and soup-making steps to proceed without interruption. For another make-ahead idea, see Cream Cheese Fruit Dip – Easy 4-Ingredient Recipe.

No storage, refrigeration, freezing, or reheating instructions are provided. The make-ahead guidance applies to preparing the ingredients, not to completing the soup in advance.

Why You’ll Love It

This creamy chicken noodle soup recipe brings several textures into one bowl without requiring a complicated sequence. Shredded chicken provides the main substance, pasta makes the soup more filling, and the carrots, celery, onion, and corn add variety throughout the broth. Grating some of the carrots while slicing another keeps the vegetables from feeling uniform.

The recipe also gives you control over several important choices. Skinless chicken thighs can be bone-in or boneless, low-sodium or homemade broth can form the base, and the pasta can be selected from rotini, egg noodles, broken spaghetti, or another favorite kind. Fresh corn is an option when in season, while canned sweet corn works in winter.

The creamy finish is made separately with butter, flour, hot broth, and heavy cream, then added to the soup pot. That final step distinguishes the dish from traditional chicken noodle soup, but omitting it creates the non-creamy version without changing the rest of the recipe. With a yield of eight soup bowls and a total time of about one hour, the recipe is practical for a larger serving of soup.

Pro Tips for Success

Preparation is the easiest way to keep this recipe moving smoothly. Chop the onion, prepare both carrot cuts, and chop or slice the celery before heating the stove. The recipe uses a large soup pot, a large pan, and a medium saucepan, so setting out the equipment and ingredients first helps prevent a rushed transition between steps.

A few technique details make a direct difference:

• Boil the chicken uncovered and skim impurities from the surface as they rise.

• Stir the onion, grated carrots, and celery often while they sauté so they become soft and golden before entering the soup pot.

• Let the chicken cool enough to handle before shredding, then remove bones and fat before returning the meat to the pot.

• Watch the pasta during its 15-minute low boil and cook it to the desired softness.

• Whisk the flour into melted butter constantly for 1–2 minutes, then add the hot broth while continuing to whisk.

• Add the heavy cream to the blended flour mixture before transferring it to the soup pot.

The final seasoning comes after the creamy mixture is incorporated. Add the salt-free seasoning and dill, then adjust salt to taste before returning the soup to a boil and turning off the heat.

Flavor and Texture

The finished soup combines tender shredded chicken with pasta and vegetables in a creamy broth. Chicken thighs are specified for tender, flavorful bites, while the sautéed onion, carrots, and celery form the vegetable base. Corn adds another vegetable element, and dill gives the finished soup its fresh herb note.

Texture comes from the contrast between the creamy liquid, soft vegetables, pasta cooked to the desired softness, and shredded chicken. Grated carrots blend more closely into the sautéed base, while the sliced carrot remains visible in the bowl. The butter, flour, broth, and heavy cream mixture creates the creamy character that separates this version from the traditional chicken noodle variation.

Troubleshooting

If you are unsure how much the recipe yields, the listed yield is 8 soup bowls. The ingredient quantities and total time are written for that yield, so use the stated amounts when preparing the full pot.

If the soup seems too rich for your preference, skim excess oil from the surface after the pasta, sliced carrots, and corn have cooked. If you want regular chicken noodle soup rather than the creamy version, omit step 5 and proceed with step 6. For the creamy method, whisk the broth into the flour mixture continually; this is the supported way to blend the roux before adding it to the soup.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to prepare this creamy chicken noodle soup recipe? Prepare the chopped onion, grated and sliced carrots, and celery first. Boil the chicken in broth and water, sauté the onion and vegetables, shred the chicken, cook the pasta with the sliced carrots and corn, then blend the butter-and-flour mixture with hot broth and heavy cream before adding it to the pot.

How do I know when the soup is ready? The pasta should reach the desired softness during its 15-minute low boil. After the creamy mixture, seasoning, and dill are added, return the soup to a boil and turn off the heat.

What temperature should I use? The recipe uses medium heat for the initial onion sauté and for the butter-and-flour mixture. Increase the vegetable pan to medium-high after the onion softens. The chicken is brought to a boil, the pasta cooks at a low boil, and the soup finishes by returning to a boil.

How long does the recipe take? The stated total time is about 1 hour, including 10 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of cooking.

Can I make it ahead of time? You can prepare the ingredients ahead by chopping the onion, preparing the carrot cuts, and chopping or slicing the celery before cooking. No completed-soup storage or reheating guidance is specified.

What substitutions work? Use low-sodium or homemade chicken broth, bone-in or boneless skinless chicken thighs, your preferred pasta, fresh or canned corn as described, and a favorite salt-free seasoning in place of Mrs. Dash. Dill can be replaced with your favorite herb.

Nutrition

Nutrition per serving:

• serving size: 1 serving

• calories: 362 kcal

• fat: 23 g

• saturated fat: 9 g

• carbohydrates: 25 g

• fiber: 1 g

• sugar: 3 g

• protein: 14 g

• sodium: 117 mg

• cholesterol: 77 mg