This Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup is beyond delicious, and the perfect comforting, cozy meal. Classic chicken, celery, carrots, onion, and noodles are elevated with fresh herbs and lemon for a hearty, flavorful soup, easy enough even for weeknights.

This Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic, and this recipe is the one you want to have in your ack pocket for all those days requiring a cozy soup simmering on the stove. (I suggest this Carrot Ginger Lentil Soup for a plant-based soup!)

Why This Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup is SO Good:

• Perfect for Cold Weather – you can’t beat a bowl of hearty, warm soup on a chilly fall or winter day!
• Soothing – soups feel like a comfort food as it is, but all of the vitamins, protein, and yes, even the carbs, help make this soup quite nourishing.
• Kid-Friendly – With pretty simple ingredients and nothing spicy going on, this Dutch oven chicken noodle soup is pretty kid-friendly.
• Feeds a Crowd – this large pot of soup is perfect for feeding a larger family, bringing to a potluck, or saving for another meal later.
• Freezes Well – soup freezes easily, and this chicken noodle is no exception.
• Flexible – you can totally simplify this soup a step further (and speed it up) by using pre-cooked chicken, like shredded rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Mirepoix – this is a fancy French word for the base of this (and many other) soups: carrots, celery, and onion.
• Chicken Broth – I use eight cups, but you can add a little more if you like your soup thinner and more brothy.
• Chicken – I typically use boneless chicken breasts, but you can use whatever cut of chicken you prefer. If you’re using bone-in, be sure to remove all the bones when your chicken is done and you’ve removed it to shred. You can also use pre-cooked chicken to save some time.
• Egg Noodles – I used narrow egg noodles, but you can use any type you prefer. You can even substitute other types of noodles, including gluten-free and chickpea. Just cook to package directions (and you may need to add a little more broth at the end to get the consistency you prefer).
• Fresh herbs – Fresh thyme, rosemary and parsley add lots of flavor. You can substitute dried thyme and rosemary, but I recommend using fresh parsley.
• Lemon – another flavor booster, but you can’t convince me that lemon doesn’t elevate most soups!
• Apple Cider Vinegar – kind of a rogue ingredient, and an optional one, but I swear it helps deepen the flavor of soups, stews, and chilis and helps them taste like they’ve been simmering all day. I don’t recommend skipping if you’re “cheating” and using pre-cooked chicken to save time!

The full ingredient list and amounts needed can be found in the recipe card below.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Heat olive oil in 6 quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

2. Add minced garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

3. Add onion, celery, carrot, rosemary, thyme, and salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add half a cup of chicken broth to the Dutch oven.

5. Deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to scrape up the brown bits off the bottom of the pan, as it loosens from the broth. (The brown bits = flavor!)

6. Place chicken breasts and bay leaf into the Dutch oven on top of the vegetables.

7. Pour the rest of the broth over the chicken.

8. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low.

9. Cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

10. Remove the chicken and bay leaf. Discard the bay leaf.

11. Shred the chicken (either with forks on a cutting board or in a stand mixer).

12. Return the shredded chicken back into the Dutch oven.

13. Turn heat to medium high. Add egg noodles and bring soup to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 4-6 minutes, or until noodles are tender (exact time will vary based on size and thickness of noodles used).

14. Remove the soup from the heat. Add lemon zest and lemon juice.

15. Add apple cider vinegar.

16. Stir in fresh parsley.

Dutch Oven Chicken Soup Expert Tips & Variations

Try some of the following variations to make your Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup your own:

• Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup: Add 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes while sauteing the vegetables and herbs. Finish the soup by serving it with hot sauce or sriracha.
• Extra Veggies: Add mushrooms, spinach, kale, diced tomatoes, diced zucchini, or any other vegetables you enjoy in soup. If you add a lot, you may need to increase the amount of broth.
• Add legumes: Beans are fantastic in soups, and a garbanzo bean or white cannellini bean would be a delicious way to add fiber and a little more protein to this soup. You can also add cooked lentils, too!
• Fast Version: Buy pre-chopped vegetables at the store and use pre-cooked shredded rotisserie chicken.
• Serving Suggestions: I don’t think you can ever go wrong with the classic soup and salad or soup and sandwich combo! It also pairs perfectly with homemade crusty bread (I love a good no knead bread!).

FAQs

Is chicken noodle soup healthy?

Yes, chicken noodle soup can be a nourishing, healthy soup. It has a balance of protein, carbs, and a little fat, and is rich in various vitamins and minerals.

That said, as a registered dietitian, I suggest looking at the bigger picture of your overall diet and lifestyle instead of fixating on the perceived healthfulness of individual foods.

Can a Dutch oven go on the stove?

Yes! If you have a glass top stove, like I do, please be sure to set it down carefully, as it’s really heavy. Also make sure the bottom is smooth to avoid scratching a glass top surface.

Can you make Dutch oven chicken noodle soup ahead of time?

Absolutely! You can fully make the soup ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Note that depending on the type of noodles used, not all noodles make ahead as well (the narrow egg noodles I used here worked beautifully, but some gluten-free and chickpea pastas I don’t personally find as tasty reheated).

You can also pre-chop your vegetables, use pre-cooked shredded chicken, etc. to save a bit of time, too!

Does soup freeze well?

Let the soup fully cool, then store in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months. Alternatively, you can freeze in individual containers.

To thaw soup, thaw it overnight in the fridge, or over medium heat on the stove.

How long will chicken noodle soup last in the fridge?

In an airtight container, chicken noodle soup will last 3-4 days in the fridge.

Supplies You’ll Need

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• A 6 quart Dutch oven (an enamel cast iron pot)
• Measuring cups & spoons

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Carrot Ginger Lentil Soup

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