This Chicken Soup No Noodles is the ultimate comfort food and the best chicken soup for a chilly night! It's made with vegetables including carrots, celery, and potatoes, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lemon at the end. Everything comes together in one pot for easy clean-up. 😊
Quick Look: Chicken Soup No Noodles
- 🧁 Serves: 5
- ⭐ Features: Healthy ✓ Gluten-Free ✓ One-Pot ✓
- ⌛️ Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🍪 Cook Time: 40 minutes
- 🕑 Total Time: 60 minutes
- 🏆 Why make THIS version? This is an easy soup with tons of flavor made from whole food ingredients!
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As a dietitian, I'm a major fan of snuggling up with a big bowl of hot soup. And while I love a good chicken noodle soup recipe, this no-noodle chicken soup with Yukon gold potatoes instead of noodles is always a favorite!
If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner during soup season, this chicken soup without noodles is an excellent choice! Everything comes together in one pot and you can even use rotisserie chicken if you want to make it easier. And the only thing better than a big bowl of soup in the colder months is having enough leftovers for the next day, too. 😊
If you're a fan of classic chicken soup, you might also enjoy my lemon chicken orzo soup, which has a bright, lemony flavor and spinach in every bowl. For another chicken soup with potatoes, you may also enjoy creamy chicken pot pie soup.
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Chicken Soup without noodles uses simple ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the recipe card for exact ingredient measurements.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken breasts - chicken adds lean protein and is a key ingredient in this soup. This recipe is written using boneless, skinless chicken breast, but I also included directions for how to make it using chicken that's already cooked like rotisserie chicken. If you prefer to cook the chicken yourself before adding it to the soup, here's my method for making juicy oven baked chicken breast.
- Yukon Gold Potatoes - potatoes replace cooked noodles typically found in chicken soup. They're a great option if you are gluten-free. Potatoes also add important nutrients like fiber for gut health, potassium, and vitamin C. Love cooking with potatoes? Try these oven roasted diced baby potatoes for an easy side dish or meal-prep staple.
- Carrots & Celery - no need to remove the skin unless you want to, but be sure to give them a rinse. If you have extra carrots on hand, these roasted honey thyme carrots make an easy vegetable side dish.
- Yellow Onion & Garlic
- Fresh herbs - fresh thyme adds so much flavor while the veggies and chicken simmer, and a handful of fresh parsley is the perfect finishing touch at the end. You can replace the thyme.
- Bay Leaves
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth - use low sodium broth for this recipe to make it easier to control the saltiness. You can use low-sodium bone broth, chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock instead if you prefer. If you aren't using a low-sodium version of your liquid, I recommend not adding the salt listed in the recipe.
- Extra-virgin olive oil - we use olive oil to cook the veggies in. Extra-virgin olive oil is high in heart-healthy fatty acids that support brain health and hormone health. If you prefer a more mild flavor, you can use avocado oil.
- Lemon (optional)- I like to add fresh lemon juice at the end to enhance all the flavors.
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
Recipe Variations
The best part of making a batch of this Chicken Soup without noodles is that you can customize it in so many different ways according to your taste! Below are some ideas, but feel free to get creative.
- Spicy - this chicken soup is not spicy. If you want spicy soup, add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or hot sauce.
- More Fiber - if you want to increase the fiber in this recipe, add in a can of white beans. You may need to add more broth. If you like adding beans to soup for extra fiber and plant-based protein, try my hearty chickpea soup with vegetables.
- Creamy - if you're looking for a creamier consistency, you can blend a couple cups of the soup and add it back to the pot or add some half and half.
How to Make Chicken Soup No Noodles
Below are the instructions for how to make this easy recipe with some visuals that I hope are helpful! Check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 - Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the large pot. Cook until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery start to soften, about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 2 - Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the fresh thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.
Step 3 - Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and add the bay leaves, chicken breast, and diced potatoes. Cover with a lid, leaving a small crack to let some of the steam out. Simmer on medium low to low heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) using a meat thermometer.
Step 4 - Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it using 2 forks or a hand mixer. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the fresh parsley and lemon (if using).
Hint: If using cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, add the shredded rotisserie chicken in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to let it heat and absorb the flavors of the soup.
Mallory's Dietitian Tip!
Making soup is an easy way to get in a lot of nutritious ingredients. Chop the veggies in advance so that when mealtime rolls around all there's left to do is let everything simmer in the pot! I suggest to make a batch of this soup and portion it out for lunches to enjoy throughout the week.
Expert Tips
- Dice the vegetables into small pieces so they cook through.
- Add the seasonings before the broth to let them bloom.
- When simmering the soup, crack the lid a bit to avoid the pot from boiling over.
- If you like your soup with more liquid, add an extra cup or two of broth.
- Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasonings to your preferences! Some people like a bit more salt while others prefer more fresh herbs.
Chicken Soup No Noodles FAQs
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. It contains lean protein and iron from the chicken and several nutrients including antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, and potassium from the vegetables. Potatoes also provide dietary fiber to support gut health. This recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free.
-Refrigerator - store cooled leftover chicken soup without noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- Freezer - store leftovers in freezer-safe containers or freezer-safe bags in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat on the stovetop, on low heat in a slow cooker, or in the microwave.
More Chicken Soup Recipes
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Chicken Soup without Noodles (with Potatoes)
Equipment
- 1 dutch oven or large soup pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or avocado oil)
- 2-3 carrots, diced into small pieces (about 1.5 cups)
- 3 celery ribs, diced into small pieces (about 1 cup)
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (or ½ large onion)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, leaves removed from stem (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1½ teaspoon kosher salt (start with 1 teaspoon if using fine table salt, more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth (more if you like a brothy soup)
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast (or 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken)
- 12 oz Yukon gold potatoes, diced (about 2 potatoes)
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ lemon, juiced (optional)
- ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a large soup pot or Dutch oven on medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and heat until it shimmers. Once the oil is hot, add the onions, carrots, and celery to the large pot. Cook until the onions are translucent and the carrots and celery start to soften, about 6-8 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Then add the fresh thyme, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring it to a rolling boil. Turn down the heat to medium low and add the bay leaves, chicken breast, and diced potatoes. Cover with a lid, leaving a small crack to let some of the steam out. Simmer on medium low to low heat for 15-20 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) using a meat thermometer.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it using 2 forks or a hand mixer. Add the chicken back to the pot along with the fresh parsley and lemon (if using). Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Hint: If using cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, add the shredded rotisserie chicken in the last 5-10 minutes of cooking to let it heat and absorb the flavors of the soup.
Video
Notes
- Dice the vegetables into small pieces so they cook through.
- Add the seasonings before the broth to let them bloom.
- When simmering the soup, crack the lid a bit to avoid the pot from boiling over.
- If you like your soup with more liquid, add an extra cup or two of broth.
- Give the soup a taste and adjust the seasonings to your preferences! Some people like a bit more salt while others prefer more fresh herbs.
- Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Amanda
Delicious for a cold day!