Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Homemade chicken noodle soup made with dark meat chicken, fennel, turnips, and a deeply healing from-scratch broth. Loaded with anti-inflammatory ingredients. The soup you make for people you love when they're down.
Ingredients
Healing Stock Ingredients
- 3-4 kale leaves
- 4–5 Brussels sprouts
- 3–4 stalks celery
- 2 large carrots
- 4-5 mushrooms
- 1 large onion halved
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- ½ fennel bulb
- large handful fresh herbs your choice — thyme, rosemary, parsley all work
- 1 large jalapeño halved
- 2 inches fresh ginger grated
- bones from 8 chicken thighs or whole chicken carcass
- 3 tbsp black peppercorns
- 2 potatoes halved
- Peel from 2 turnips
- 4–5 bay leaves
- 1 lemon halved
- Any other vegetables you want to use up
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients:
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 8 chicken thighs bone-in skin-on
- 1 large shallot finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium purple turnip diced small
- 2 medium potatoes diced small
- ½ fennel bulb thinly sliced
- 2 large carrots sliced
- ¾ cup baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 2 large sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 large sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp Herbes de Provence
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 10-12 cups healing stock or quality store-bought chicken stock
- ¾ cup frozen green peas
To Serve:
- 4-6 oz dried pasta cooked to al dente (or 2 cups cooked wild rice or egg noodles)
Instructions
Make the Healing Stock:
- Debone the chicken, leave skin on. Use bones (or a leftover chicken carcass) to make the stock.
- Place all stock ingredients in a large stockpot. Cover completely with cold water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
- Simmer uncovered for at least 1 hour — the longer the better.
- Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the vegetables to extract all the liquid. Discard solids.
- Set stock aside, or refrigerate/freeze until needed.
Make the Soup:
- Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Brown chicken thighs skin-side down for 4–5 minutes until golden. Flip and brown the other side for 2–3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add shallot to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring to pick up the browned bits. Add garlic, turmeric, and Herbes de Provence and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add turnips, potatoes, and fennel. Stir to coat in the spices.
- Return chicken thighs to the pot. Pour in the stock.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 30–35 minutes, until chicken is completely tender and pulling away from the bone.
- Remove chicken thighs to a cutting board. Add carrots and mushrooms to the pot and continue simmering.
- Shred the chicken, discarding skin and bones. Return shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.
- Continue simmering until carrots are just tender, about 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and stir in frozen peas.
- Serve with cooked wild rice or pasta — add to each bowl individually rather than cooking directly in the soup to keep leftovers from getting stodgy.
Notes
Stock shortcut: When time is tight, use a high-quality store-bought chicken stock. Look for low-sodium varieties with simple ingredients. The soup will still be delicious — the homemade stock just adds extra depth and those additional healing properties from the fresh vegetables and ginger.
Make it seasonal: The herb profile is flexible — tarragon adds a lovely anise note in spring and summer, while Herbes de Provence is the go-to for year-round warmth. Use what you love or what you have.
Vegetable flexibility: The stock is especially flexible — use whatever is lurking in your vegetable drawers. Beet stems, potato peels, extra celery, the end of a leek — it all goes in. Nothing is wrong.
Make-ahead: Stock can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The finished soup keeps well in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Store noodles or rice separately to prevent them from absorbing all the broth.
Freezing: Freeze the finished soup without the noodles or rice for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop.
Make it seasonal: The herb profile is flexible — tarragon adds a lovely anise note in spring and summer, while Herbes de Provence is the go-to for year-round warmth. Use what you love or what you have.
Vegetable flexibility: The stock is especially flexible — use whatever is lurking in your vegetable drawers. Beet stems, potato peels, extra celery, the end of a leek — it all goes in. Nothing is wrong.
Make-ahead: Stock can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. The finished soup keeps well in the refrigerator for 4–5 days. Store noodles or rice separately to prevent them from absorbing all the broth.
Freezing: Freeze the finished soup without the noodles or rice for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop.
