Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Herbs
This creamy chicken noodle soup delivers restaurant-quality comfort in under an hour by building layers of flavor with fresh herbs and a silky cream finish. You'll master the technique of poaching chicken gently and adding cream at the right temperature for a luxuriously rich broth every time.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups dried egg noodles
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Slice chicken into bite-sized pieces about 1 inch thick. Dice onion into small uniform pieces. Mince fresh garlic. Measure 6 cups of broth.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat until foaming. Add diced onion and cook 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Let garlic and onion sit for 30 seconds without stirring to deepen flavors.
- Pour in all 6 cups of chicken broth and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
- Add sliced chicken and fresh thyme leaves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through and opaque.
- Stir in 2 cups dried egg noodles. Cook according to package directions (usually 8-10 minutes), stirring every 2 minutes to prevent sticking.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Slowly stir in 1 cup heavy cream while stirring constantly. Simmer gently 2-3 minutes until soup is silky.
- Season with salt and black pepper gradually, tasting as you go. Stir in 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley just before serving.
Notes
- For thicker soup, mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir in.
- Store noodles separately if making ahead; add fresh when reheating to avoid mushiness.
- Freeze broth and chicken without cream, then add fresh cream when reheating.
- Substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme for fresh if needed, but add fresh parsley at the end.
- Use rotisserie chicken: shred 2 cups and add after broth boils, simmering 5 minutes.