Basic Chicken Noodle Soup (No Veggies)

I am excited to share with you how to make this basic chicken noodle soup while keeping it inexpensive! Saving money while creating something that tastes savory and comforting is a huge win in my book!

This is a ‘from scratch’ way to make a chicken noodle soup. It’s flavorful, nurturing especially when you’re under the weather, and is made without vegetables. Sometimes you just want a simple chicken noodle soup with no veggies, however, I will also tell you ways you can adjust the chicken noodle soup recipe to fit your needs and tastes later in the post.

BASIC CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP, NO VEGGIES

I used some raw bones from a chicken that I had broken down, but you don’t have to. You can use chicken breast, thighs or whatever you have on hand.

I used that chicken bone and bits of meat on that bone to make this super delicious basic chicken noodle soup! With the nutritious and delicious broth it makes, paired with the chicken, a small amount of noodles, and a bit of seasoning, this meal is practically FREE!!

The other day I made this BBQ Sheet Pan Chicken and used a whole chicken. After cutting the chicken into pieces, I was left with the backbone (and a piece of the neck).

I love it because it makes just enough for two servings which is ideal for a lunch or a light dinner. Plus, if you want more you can always double the recipe using other chicken pieces.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Chicken bones: With this recipe today, I used the chicken back and neck, but you can use any chicken bones you might have on hand. (Even cooked bones, like from a roasted or rotisserie chicken). If you don’t have any on hand, I’ve used chicken breasts and sometimes thighs as well.
• Noodles: Spaghettinni is what I had on hand today but you can use any pasta shape you’d like. If you’re making this soup for little ones, star-shaped or other small pasta shapes are fun to use. I don’t recommend using larger-sized pasta like penne. If you use long pasta, simply snap them into smaller lengths like I did.
• Thyme: I used dried thyme because I love the flavor when it’s paired with chicken, but you can leave it out if you don’t like it, or, use dried Italian seasoning. Dried herbs work well, but if you have them fresh, you’ll want to up the amount by about 50% as dried herbs are more potent than fresh.
• Water: I used water because it’s super easy, but if you have chicken stock on hand, go ahead and use that that add even more flavor to your soup.
• Salt and pepper

How To Make Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Step By Step

Step 1: In a pot, add the chicken pieces. The pot should be large enough to hold the chicken bones and at least 4 cups of water.
Step 2: Add the water and bring the contents to a boil. Turn it down, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour. (You can simmer for half the time if you’re using broth).
Step 3: After the simmering time, remove the chicken bones from the broth and put them into the fridge to cool down. When cool, remove the extra bits of chicken from the bones. Then discard any skin, gristle, and bones. Return the chicken to the broth in the pot.
Step 4: Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, and add the pasta. Cook until pasta is ready.
Step 5: Serve with a slice of crusty, buttered bread for dunking!

***All the exact amounts and more detailed cooking instructions with notes and tips will be in the printable recipe card below.

Can I Make This Chicken Noodle Soup With Chicken Breasts Instead?

Technically, you could make this with all chicken breasts, for sure. However, the result will not be as rich a flavor without the bones. The reason you cook with the chicken bones is to create your own savory chicken broth. That homemade chicken broth tastes phenomenal and adds lots of nutrients to the soup. Also, using chicken breasts can get very expensive. I love to be frugal and to use the bones adds so much flavor and saves me tons of money because we’re not wasting anything. Win-win if you ask me.

Types Of Pasta For Chicken Soup

As I mentioned earlier, it’s best to use smaller pasta shapes, or those with small diameter.
Macaroni
Star Pasta
Orzo
Alphabet
Rotel (wagon wheels!)

If You Want To Add Veggies, Add These

This basic chicken soup is excellent as it is, but if you want to add extra veggies on hand to add, please do so. You’ll want to add them when you put everything in the pot to simmer and before you add in pasta.

Pasta will get bloated and mushy if you cook it too long and the vegetables will need a little bit to cook. To make the chicken noodle soup heartier, here are some ideas to try.

Carrots: The natural sweetness of carrots always makes everything taste just a bit better! Plus they add beautiful color to the soup.
Celery: I love the flavor that celer adds to any dish.
Onions: Slice and dice a few onions in to add flavor. I prefer to use yellow or Spanish onions.
Corn: Now come on, who can’t resist corn?? Sweet little niblets of flavor add wonderful depth to this soup.

Storing and Freezing Instructions

 You may not have any leftovers because it tastes so amazing you are going to want to gobble it up! (gobble.. see what I did there?? haha).

But in the case that you might have a bit of leftovers, you should store it in an airtight container. You can use glass or plastic depending on what you have on hand. 

You can freeze the soup as well. This is an excellent option if you want to make extra and save for another time.

I prefer to store soup in freezer bags because they save lots of space. Pour the soup in a thick freezer bag,  store it on its side in the freezer, and tuck it away like a book, upright so that it takes up very little freezer real estate! Thaw overnight in the fridge and you can reheat on the stove with low heat or in the microwave.

Thanks so much for stopping by The Salty Pot today, and I hope that you enjoyed this Basic Chicken Noodle soup recipe! Have a wonderful day!

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