Name: Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1/2 large white onion; 3 stalks celery; 4 large carrots; 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs; 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/8 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning; 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (plus more to taste); 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste); 3 cloves garlic; 6 cups chicken stock; 2-3 cups egg noodles*

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This simple and delicious Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is the perfect comfort food. Full of tender cooked chicken, flavorful vegetables and hearty egg noodles, a warm bowl of soup is exactly what you need to get you through the cold weather.

A white dutch oven full of chicken noodle soup on a marble background. A soup ladle rests in the soup and parsley and french bread slices are to the side.

My kids are off school today for a snow day. No doubt they will be playing in the backyard for hours, until their noses and hands are pink and they just can’t stand the cold any more. When they finally make it inside for lunch, only a hot bowl of soup will do. Nothing is better on a cold day than a big pot of homemade soup. This classic chicken noodle soup recipe is our family favorite.

Full of tender chicken, fresh vegetables and flavorful broth, this is a hearty homemade chicken soup recipe just like mom or grandma use to make. With simple ingredients and minimal prep, this easy recipe is attainable for any home cook. Master this simple homestyle chicken noodle soup and it will become one of your go-to soup recipes for years to come.

For other soul-warming soups to get you through the winter, try my hearty crockpot cowboy soup, creamy vegetable rice soup, vegetable orzo soup, or zuppa toscana.

Three bowls of chicken noodle soup with a pot of chicken noodle soup in the upper corner and bread slices to the side.

What is a dutch oven and why use it for soup?

I have two dutch ovens, and they are by far the most used pots in my kitchen. A dutch oven is a heavy pot with a tight fitting lid, most often made of cast iron. It can be used on the stove top or in the oven. A dutch oven is perfect for making soups, stews and chilis (and all manner of other things). I use a dutch oven every time I make soup because it creates a very even and consistent heat. A dutch oven also retains heat very well, so the pot will stay warm after you take it off the heat. As a result, a dutch oven typically cooks a little faster than a regular pot while still locking all that delicious flavor into your soup. Once your soup is done, you can take it off of direct heat and it will still stay piping hot, bowl after bowl.

Ingredients

For this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, you need the following ingredients (exact measurements are in the recipe card below).

Olive oil
Onion
Celery stalks
Carrots
Chicken: I used boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. I love tender chicken thighs in soup because they are quick cooking and have great flavor. You could substitute rotisserie chicken or boneless skinless chicken breasts if you prefer.
Cloves of garlic
Chicken broth
Seasonings, including salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and Italian seasoning blend
Egg noodles: Use whatever type of noodles your family loves. I used wavy wide egg noodles for the soup this time. I have also used whole wheat egg noodles and the old fashioned kluski style noodles in this recipe, and both of those are great too!
Fresh herbs, for garnish: I used fresh parsley to garnish my soup, but fresh thyme would also be great.

Instructions

Step One: Prepare all the vegetables. Peel and slice the carrots into thin rounds. Dice the onion. Dice the celery into small pieces. Mince the garlic.

Step Two: Heat a large dutch oven on the stove top over medium heat. Add the olive oil to the pot, with the onion and celery. Saute for 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables just start to soften.

A white dutch oven on a marble background, containing sauteed onions and celery.

Step Three: Push the onion and celery to the sides of the pot to make a space for the chicken to cook. Drizzle a dash more olive oil on the bottom of the pot if necessary. Put the chicken thighs in the center of the pot, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and Italian seasoning. Cook the chicken until the outside is just opaque, about 2-3 minutes per side.

A white dutch oven on a marble background, containing sauteed onions and celery pushed to the outside of the pot, with chicken thighs sprinkled with seasoning in the middle.

Step Four: Add the chicken stock, carrots and garlic to the pot. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot. Bring the soup to a simmer, and allow it to cook for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

A white dutch oven on a marble background, containing chicken stock with round carrot slices floating in it.

Step Five: Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a plate or cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken into pieces. Return the chicken to the pot, along with the egg noodles, and allow the soup to simmer for about 8-10 more minutes, until the noodles are cooked al dente.

A white cutting board on a marble background, with cooked chicken shredded into pieces and two forks resting on the board.

Step Six: Taste the soup, and add additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish the soup with fresh parsley, and enjoy!

A close up of a dutch oven full of chicken noodle soup, with a ladle holding spoonful of soup to the camera.

Storage

Store leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. The noodles will absorb the broth as the soup rests. Add a little extra broth or water to the soup when you reheat it to get it back to a soup-like consistency.