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Pioneer Woman Chicken Noodle Soup

Pioneer Woman chicken noodle soup with a deeply rich, farmhouse-style broth—simmered chicken, wide egg noodles, and carrot coins in a buttery base. This classic American soup delivers hearty shredded chicken in every spoonful.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Whole chicken (for simmering and shredding)
  • 1 whole chicken
Vegetables (broth base and add-ins)
  • 5 carrots Sliced; use 2 carrots for the initial simmer and the remaining for the later cook.
  • 5 celery Sliced; use 2 celery stalks for the initial simmer and the remaining for the later cook.
  • 1 onion Quartered.
  • 4 clove garlic Use 4 cloves, minced or left whole as preferred.
Broth and seasoning
  • 10 cup water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • salt To taste; season very generously at the end.
  • pepper To taste; season very generously at the end.
Noodles and finishing
  • 12 oz wide egg noodles
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped.

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Build the broth
  1. Place whole chicken in a large pot with water, onion, 2 carrots, 2 celery stalks, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns, then bring to a boil.
  2. Skim foam, reduce heat, and simmer for 1 hour until the chicken is very tender (broth should stay gently simmering, not rolling).
Shred and simmer again
  1. Remove chicken from the pot, strain and reserve the broth, and shred all chicken meat into bite-size pieces (save any juices that cling to the meat).
  2. Return broth to the pot, add butter, and bring to a simmer until the butter melts into the broth.
Cook vegetables and noodles
  1. Add remaining sliced carrots and celery, and cook for 10 minutes until tender (keep at a steady simmer with visible bubbles).
  2. Add egg noodles and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender but not mushy.
Finish and season
  1. Return shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine until heated through (about 1-2 minutes, keeping it at a gentle simmer).
  2. Stir in chopped fresh parsley and season very generously with salt and pepper to taste (the flavor should pop and be well-balanced).

Notes

Pro tip: strain the broth for a clearer, more “farmhouse” texture, and shred the chicken while it’s still warm so the pieces stay moist. Store leftovers in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 3 months (best to undercook noodles slightly if freezing, or add fresh noodles when reheating). For a lighter option, use reduced-sodium butter and reduce the added salt until the final seasoning stage.