Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup — a hearty, healthy classic that soothes colds, warms cool days, and comforts the soul. Packed with fresh vegetables, herbs, rich chicken stock and tender chicken, this version comes together in about 30 minutes.
There’s nothing more comforting on a rainy day or when you’re under the weather than a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup. Cooking it in a Dutch oven helps build deep flavor while keeping the method simple and forgiving.
This recipe focuses on classic flavors—onions, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs and egg noodles—combined with quality chicken stock and bite-sized pieces of chicken. Use cooked chicken to save time, or follow the steps below to cook the chicken right in the pot for extra flavor.
🐓 Ingredients
Chicken breast: Dice and cook in the recipe, or substitute about 1 lb rotisserie or pre-cooked chicken for a quicker meal.
Chicken stock: Use a good-quality stock—it’s the foundation of the soup’s flavor.
Egg noodles: Traditional for chicken noodle soup; cook until tender. You can swap rice if preferred.
Full ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card below.
💡 Tips to Make It Better
- Use quality broth: Homemade or a good store-bought stock gives the best flavor.
- Cook in a Dutch oven: It promotes even cooking and holds heat exceptionally well.
- Brown the chicken first: Searing the diced chicken and leaving the browned bits in the pot adds savory depth to the soup.
- Season the chicken: Salt and pepper the chicken before cooking to bring out its flavor.
- Use rotisserie chicken to save time: If using pre-cooked chicken, use roughly 1 pound of meat.
- Add salt to the veggies: Salting the onions as they cook helps draw out their natural sweetness and boosts overall flavor.
🥘 How to Make
Step 1: Dice the chicken into bite-sized pieces and season with salt and pepper.
Pro tip: For a faster version, use about 1 lb pre-cooked or rotisserie chicken.
Step 2: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and warm.
Step 4: Add the diced chicken and cook until fully cooked with golden-brown spots (internal temperature 165°F). Remove chicken and set aside.
Step 5: Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the now-empty pot. Melt and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits.
Step 6: Add the diced onion, sprinkle with salt, and cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 7: Add the carrots and celery and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and cook about 30 seconds more.
Step 8: Return the cooked chicken to the pot, add rosemary, thyme, pepper and bay leaves, and stir to combine.
Step 9: Pour in the chicken stock and add the egg noodles. The liquid should just cover the noodles—if needed add up to 2 cups of water to reach your desired consistency.
Step 10: Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the noodles are tender (follow package directions).
Step 11: Stir in fresh parsley and serve warm with crusty bread or crackers.
❓ Recipe FAQs
No. You can add dry egg noodles directly to the soup and cook them in the broth until tender.
To avoid soggy noodles, remove the pot from heat while the noodles are still slightly firm; residual heat will finish cooking them. Alternatively, cook noodles separately and add just before serving.
A good-quality broth, seasoning the chicken before cooking, and salting the vegetables while they cook are key steps that deepen the soup’s flavor.
🥣 Other Homemade Soup Recipes
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Crab and Corn Chowder
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What to Serve with Chili
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Sausage Spinach Tortellini Soup
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Recipes to Make in a Dutch Oven
Did you make this recipe? If you enjoyed it, please leave a rating and a comment. I love hearing how it turned out for you!
📋 Recipe
Dutch Oven Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 lb chicken breast, diced (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 4–5 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 12 oz egg noodles
- 2 cups water, if needed
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Dice the chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Add the diced chicken and cook until golden and cooked through (165°F). Remove and set aside.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen browned bits.
- Add the onion and salt; cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and celery and cook until tender. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Return the chicken to the pot. Add rosemary, thyme, pepper and bay leaves and stir to combine.
- Pour in chicken stock and add egg noodles. If needed, add up to 2 cups water so liquid just covers the noodles. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until noodles are tender per package directions.
- Stir in fresh parsley and serve warm.
Notes
Chicken: This recipe explains how to cook diced raw chicken. To speed things up, substitute about 1 lb cooked or rotisserie chicken.
Stock: A quality chicken stock is key to depth of flavor.
Noodles: Egg noodles are traditional; rice can be used as an alternative.
Tips: Brown the chicken first and salt vegetables early to draw out flavor; cook noodles separately if you want to prevent over-softening.