Here I go with yet another Panera bread story. But what can I say, mom and I ate a lot of Panera during the seriously bitter cold Cleveland fall/winter days of my youth. Their broccoli cheddar was one of my favorites. But I loved the homestyle chicken soup just as much, especially when we’d get it in a bread bowl. What I loved most about their chicken soup was all the thick-cut egg noodles, the herbs, and the fact that they really go heavy on the carrots. I love a soup or stew with carrots. And then of course the bread. Whether we’d get the bread bowl or not, we always got bread on the side. It’s a must with any soup.
Making this is easy, here are the steps
First, you can choose to make this on the stove, in the crockpot, or in the instant pot. I love the stove or crockpot, but all three options are great! For the stove, just cook up the vegetables and add lots of herbs. My favorite combo is thyme, sage, and rosemary. Then add a splash of sherry and lots of chicken broth. If you don’t keep sherry on hand, a dry white wine works really nicely too. Once you add all the broth, bring the soup to a boil and add the chicken. Since the chicken cooks right in the soup, it really helps to flavor the broth and make it so delicious. You can simmer the soup all day, which will give you more flavor. But if you’re short on time, just a quick simmer to cook the chicken works too! If you are REALLY in a pinch, rotisserie chicken works as well. If you have a parmesan rind on hand, adding it in with the chicken really does add nice flavor. It complements this homemade chicken noodle soup recipe so deliciously.
The noodles
When you have the chicken shredded and are ready to serve, you can cook the noodles right in the soup. I love to use a thick, homestyle egg noodle. Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s usually have nice options!
How to serve
Just before serving I like to stir in a bit of parmesan and fresh parsley. Then simply season with salt and pepper to make sure it’s just perfect! I’d highly recommend serving this soup with a side of crusty bread, it’s the best accompaniment to this bowl of soup. Lastly, if you’re planning to enjoy this soup leftover, be sure to first remove the noodles before refrigerating. Removing the noodles from the broth prevents the noodles from soaking up all the broth. Then just add them back in before serving. You could easily freeze the soup as well. Looking for other soup recipes? Here are my favorites: Brie and Cheddar Apple Beer Soup Creamy Gnocchi Soup with Rosemary Bacon Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup Creamy French Onion and Mushroom Soup Healthier Slow Cooker Creamy Tortellini Vegetable Soup Pumpkin Beer Broccoli Cheddar Soup Lastly, if you make this Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the how-to video:
