There is absolutely nothing in the world quite as healing as a big, steaming bowl of comfort food when the day has been long. If you’re a busy parent, or just someone who needs a hug in a bowl without spending forever in the kitchen, I have the ultimate answer for you: my **Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup**.
We’re taking the classic, nostalgic chicken noodle soup and giving it a velvety-smooth upgrade. This isn’t your thin, watery canned stuff; we’re making magic with a rich, creamy broth that sets up fast but tastes like it simmered all day long. Trust me, once you try this version, it will bump every other chicken soup recipe off your regular rotation.
This soup became a go-to for me on long shoot days — warm, creamy, and ready in minutes. One spoonful brought back the comforting soups my mom would make whenever we needed a little extra warmth. I’m Clara Bennett, and I developed this recipe through necessity, proving that you absolutely don’t have to sacrifice rich flavor just because you’re short on time. It’s genuinely satisfying.
Why This Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Is Your New Favorite
Seriously, this recipe solves so many weeknight dinner problems. I know you’re looking for something that tastes homemade but doesn’t require you to babysit a pot for hours. That’s exactly what we’ve achieved here with the Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s all about maximum comfort without the commitment! Check out why folks keep coming back to this one:
- It’s ultra-fast! You can have bowls on the table before the kids even finish setting the table.
- The broth is genuinely velvety, not gloppy or thin—it coats those noodles perfectly.
- It uses simple pantry staples, though you can see an awesome alternative here: creamy chicken noodle soup recipe. If you want to check out a totally different, but still speedy, approach, this one is great too! For another reliable quick spot, check out this quick and easy chicken noodle soup inspiration!
Ready in Under 40 Minutes
Listen, ten minutes prep and just twenty-five minutes on the stove? That is basically instant gratification in the soup world. Don’t let those simple times fool you though! We take just enough time to properly cook down the mirepoix (that’s onion, celery, and carrot if you don’t know the fancy term!) to build a deep base flavor. It tastes like hours went into it, but you’re just chopping and stirring!
Rich, Velvety Broth Texture
The secret handshake for the creaminess is actually a very quick roux—flour cooked right into the butter. It sounds old-school, I know, but it works like a charm! We use heavy cream at the very end to round everything out and make it luxurious. It thickens the broth just beautifully, so you get that satisfying richness without needing hours of simmering or tons of heavy dairy weighed down by cheese. It’s just pure, smooth comfort.
Essential Ingredients for Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
When we talk about making an amazing Egg Noodle Soup that tastes like it took all day but only took thirty minutes, it all comes down to the quality and type of ingredients you use. This isn’t the time to guess; we need precision so that everything blends perfectly! I’ve broken down the essentials below so you can check your pantry before you start rolling. Trust me, using the right components here sets you up for success!
If you’re looking for ways to speed up using actual chicken, I swear by using shredded rotisserie chicken for this recipe. It saves so much time! You can check out my tips on maximizing that pre-cooked poultry right here: rotisserie chicken noodle soup.
For the Soup Base Ingredients
This is where all the savory flavor starts rolling! We need our veggies softened just right before we even think about making things creamy. You’ll need two tablespoons of butter for sautéing our base. Then, grab one cup of chopped onion, exactly two large carrots, which should be diced nicely, along with two stalks of celery, also diced. Don’t forget two cloves of garlic, minced finely!
For the liquid, we are using four cups of chicken broth—and please, use low sodium broth if you can! That way, we control the saltiness when we season at the end. Finally, we need two cups of cooked, shredded chicken. Remember, rotisserie chicken works incredibly well here!
For Achieving the Creaminess
Now we get to the fun part that makes this a truly creamy soup! For thickening, we’ll incorporate a quarter cup of all-purpose flour right into the veggies. Then, for the dairy richness, grab one cup of milk—I always say whole milk for best results here—and a half cup of heavy cream to finish it off smooth. And you absolutely cannot forget one teaspoon of dried thyme to give it that warm, herbal backbone. Salt and pepper go in last, but are absolutely essential for taste!
Equipment Needed for Your Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
You won’t need a dozen fancy gadgets for this one, which is another huge win! We keep the equipment list super simple so you can focus on tasting and adjusting the soup later.
The most important things you need are:
- A large pot or Dutch oven. You need enough room for all that broth and those noodles to bubble happily!
- A sturdy whisk. This is crucial when you’re making the roux and adding the broth slowly—you want zero lumps!
Step-by-Step Instructions for Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
This is where the magic happens! We are moving quickly here, but don’t rush the flavor-building steps. We want everything perfectly softened and incorporated before we start thickening everything up for that signature creamy payoff. If you love other pasta dishes, remember that the technique used here to build flavor is similar to what I use in my creamy garlic chicken pasta recipe, just applied to soup!
We’re cooking this down fast, but make sure you keep an eye on the pot, especially when you add the dairy at the end. I always have a bottle of water nearby just in case things look like they are simmering too fiercely. Ready? Let’s get this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup on your table!
Sautéing the Aromatics
First things first: get that large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Pop in your two tablespoons of butter and let it melt completely. Once it’s shimmering, toss in your chopped onion, diced carrots, and diced celery. This is your vegetable base, your mirepoix!
You need to let these cook down slowly, stirring every minute or so, for about five to seven minutes. We aren’t scorching them; we are coaxing out all their sweetness and making them wonderfully soft. This initial step is key—soft veggies equal a sweeter soup foundation!
Building the Flavor Base and Roux
Once those veggies are looking soft and translucent, toss in your two cloves of minced garlic and one teaspoon of dried thyme. Give that a quick stir and cook for just one minute until you really smell that gorgeous garlic aroma. Oops! Don’t burn the garlic, or the whole pot tastes bitter!
Now, here comes the roux step. Sprinkle the quarter cup of all-purpose flour right over those softened vegetables and keep stirring constantly for a full minute. This is super important; we are cooking that raw, pasty flour taste out! You are creating a thick paste base which is what gives us that amazing velvety texture later on, ensuring this isn’t just another thin broth soup.
Simmering the Noodles
Time to thin things out a bit! Slowly, slowly whisk in your four cups of chicken broth. Keep whisking as you pour so that flour paste completely dissolves and you end up with a smooth liquid—no clumps allowed! Bring that mixture up to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally until you notice the broth just starting to cling slightly to the back of your spoon. Remember you aren’t aiming for thick gravy yet, just a bit of body.
Next, add your eight ounces of egg noodles. Let the soup return to a simmer, and cook those noodles according to their package directions, which is usually around six to eight minutes. You want them tender but still having a bit of a bite to them! If you want to see other ways to handle noodles in savory dishes, check out this great link on chicken noodle soup variations!
Finishing the Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Once those noodles are just about done, drop your heat way down to low. This is mandatory! Now, gently stir in your two cups of cooked, shredded chicken, the one cup of milk, and that half cup of heavy cream. You are just heating this through now.
Here is my most important warning for this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup: Do NOT let this soup boil once you add the heavy cream and milk! If it gets too hot, the dairy can split or curdle, and we worked too hard for a curdled mess! Just heat it gently until everything is steaming and warm.
Finally, taste it! Add salt and pepper to your preference. Since we used low-sodium broth, you might need a good pinch of salt. Serve it immediately while it’s hot and ready to comfort!
Tips for the Best Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Results
Knowing how to save a soup gone wrong, or how to tweak it for your family’s specific cravings, is what turns a good cook into a great one. I’ve made this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup so many times now that I have a few tricks up my sleeve for when things need adjusting. Remember, cooking is about adjusting to what you have and what tastes best to you!
Adjusting Thickness and Richness
Sometimes, even with the flour roux, the soup just comes out a tiny bit thinner than you hoped for, or maybe your noodles sucked up way too much liquid! If you prefer something even thicker—maybe bordering on a stew consistency—you can absolutely increase that flour to a full 1/3 cup in step three. Just make sure you cook it out for a full minute before adding the broth so you don’t get that raw flour taste.
Now, if you ever want to skip the flour, milk, *and* heavy cream route—say you’re in a major rush or just want that classic canned-soup depth—you can substitute half of the chicken broth with a can of cream of chicken soup. It’s richer, saltier, and instantly thickens everything up without any extra steps. It’s a total shortcut that still delivers on that comforting vibe.
Noodle Choice for Chicken Pasta Soup
I specifically call for egg noodles in this recipe, and I really stand by that choice for this particular Chicken Pasta Soup. Egg noodles are sturdy; they have that satisfying chew and, honestly, they seem to hold up better to being reheated the next day which is a big win for leftovers!
If you were making a different type of soup, like a true chicken noodle soup guide might suggest, you could use ramen or rice noodles. But—and this is a big but—ramen noodles break down super fast once they hit a creamy liquid, and rice noodles can turn gelatinous. For this thick, creamy base, stick to egg noodles or a small elbow pasta so they don’t disappear into sauce!
Storing and Reheating Your Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Listen, sometimes you just can’t eat six bowls of soup in one sitting, right? That’s totally okay because leftovers of this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup are surprisingly great, provided you treat the dairy correctly.
Store your leftovers in a really airtight container. You want to keep the air out to prevent flavors from getting stale! I find that this soup keeps beautifully in the fridge for about three to four days. If you need a longer fix, you can freeze it, but you need to know the trick!
Freezing Tips for Creamy Soup
Freezing creamy soups can sometimes be tricky because the dairy fats can separate slightly upon thawing, making the texture a little grainy. It’s especially true with heavy cream. If you want to freeze this, I highly recommend you freeze the soup *before* you add the milk and heavy cream.
So, freeze the broth, veggies, chicken, and cooked noodles together. When you are ready to eat, thaw the base slowly in the fridge overnight. Then, when reheating on the stovetop, proceed with Step 6 of the recipe—add the milk and cream in slowly over low heat, just like you did when making it fresh. If you’re interested in a similar recipe that handles leftovers even better, you might want to check out my Turkey Noodle Soup recipe variation!
Reheating the Leftovers—The Gentle Way
The absolute number one rule for reheating this soup is to use low heat. When you put the pot on the stove, start it on low or medium-low. You are trying to gently bring that broth back up to temperature, not bring it to a boil.
Boiling is the enemy of cream! It will absolutely break down the texture we worked so hard to achieve with that little flour roux. Stir it often. If it seems too thick after reheating—and it probably will, because those noodles keep soaking up liquid—just whisk in a splash of milk or even some extra broth until it hits that perfect eating consistency again. You’ve got this!
Frequently Asked Questions About Noodle Soup Recipes
I always get so many questions when people try this recipe for the first time, especially concerning substitutions since everyone’s pantry is different! Hopefully, these quick answers help you troubleshoot or customize your own perfect batch of Soup Noodle Recipes.
Can I use turkey instead of chicken in this recipe?
Oh, absolutely! This recipe is incredibly flexible, which I love. If you have leftover Thanksgiving turkey, this is the perfect vehicle for it. You’ll treat the shredded turkey exactly the same way you treat the shredded chicken—just toss it in during Step 6 when you add the dairy. It makes a wonderful, cozy Turkey Noodle Soup that is just as quick and creamy. You might want to check out my full lemon chicken soup recipe if you want to try a completely different flavor profile next time, though!
How do I keep the noodles from getting mushy if I make a large batch?
This is the number one problem with making any Chicken Pasta Soup ahead of time! Noodles, bless their hearts, act like sponges and will just keep soaking up that liquid broth, leaving you with something more akin to a casserole than a soup the next day.
My trick is this: ONLY cook the noodles in the amount of soup you plan to eat that day. If you are making a huge batch for leftovers, cook the soup base (broth, veggies, chicken, cream) completely, but leave the noodles out. Store the cooked noodles in a separate container. When you reheat the soup base later, just cook the noodles fresh, or reheat the noodles separately and add them to the hot soup just before serving. It keeps that perfect texture!
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
You certainly can try! Since the structure of this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup relies hard on that flour roux, we have to replace that thickening power and the fat from the cream/milk. Instead of using flour, milk, and cream, I suggest making a simple cornstarch slurry toward the end.
For the slurry, mix about 2 to 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with an equal amount of cold water until powdery solids disappear. Once your noodles are cooked and the chicken broth is simmering (before you add back in the cream/milk step!), whisk in this slurry slowly until it thickens up. Then, instead of dairy milk and cream, use a cup of unsweetened, unflavored cashew milk or soy milk, and a half cup of a high-quality plain plant-based heavy cream alternative. Heat gently—again, don’t boil!
Estimated Nutrition for Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Now, I always tell people that when you’re aiming for comfort food, nutrition is probably not your absolute first concern, but it is good to know what you’re tucking into! This Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup might taste rich and decadent—and honestly, it is pretty satisfying—but because we are using low-sodium broth and lean chicken, it balances out nicely for a hearty meal.
Keep in mind that these numbers are an honest estimate based on the exact ingredients I listed and calculated for six equal servings. Since everybody seasons differently, your final sodium and fat levels might vary slightly, so always take these figures as a guideline!
Here’s the breakdown for one delicious bowl:
- Calories: 450
- Protein: 35 grams (That’s great staying power!)
- Fat: 18 grams
- Saturated Fat: 9 grams
- Carbohydrates: 40 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
- Sodium: 650 mg (This is why I harp on using low-sodium broth!)
I think that’s a fantastic profile for a soup that feels like a big, warm hug. It’s packed with protein from the chicken, which keeps you full until your next meal, and the carbs from the noodles give you just the right energy boost. Enjoy every spoonful!
Share Your Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Experience
Whew! We made it through another delicious recipe together. I really hope this Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup finds its way into your regular rotation, especially on those chilly evenings when only pure comfort will do. Honestly, the best compliment I can ever get is hearing that one of my recipes made your day a little easier or a little cozier.
So, when you make this recipe—and I truly hope you do soon!—please stop back by and let me know how it went! Did the noodles turn out perfectly chewy? Did you add extra thyme? Rate this recipe if you loved it (five stars would make my week!) and leave a comment below telling me ALL about your experience. Hearing your success stories really inspires me to keep testing things out in the kitchen!
If you’re looking for other easy things to whip up after dinner, maybe check out some of my other favorite easy healthy snack ideas while you’re here!
Author Bio: Clara Bennett
By Clara Bennett, Lead Plate Designer at Recipes by Betty.
Quick Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Whisk
Ingredients
For the Soup Base
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 1 cup Chopped onion
- 2 large Carrots, diced
- 2 stalks Celery, diced
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 4 cups Chicken broth Low sodium preferred
- 2 cups Cooked, shredded chicken Rotisserie chicken works well
- 8 oz Egg noodles
For the Creaminess
- 1/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1 cup Milk Whole milk for best results
- 1/2 cup Heavy cream
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This creates a roux base.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring often until the broth begins to thicken slightly.
- Add the egg noodles and continue to simmer according to package directions, usually 6 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the shredded chicken, milk, and heavy cream. Heat through gently for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not let the soup boil after adding the cream.
- Season with salt and pepper to your preference. Serve the soup hot.