Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes soup more creamy? ›

Add Cream: Let's get the obvious one out of the way.

Whether you use a few tablespoons or a few cups, cream gives soup a silky mouthfeel and rich flavor. You can definitely add milk or other dairy as well, though it will taste gradually less creamy as you go down in percent.

Lemon Zest and Juice: Adding a bit of lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end of cooking can brighten up the soup. This adds a fresh, tangy contrast to the rich flavors of the chicken and broth. Mushrooms for Depth: Incorporate sliced mushrooms, such as cremini or shiitake, for an earthy depth of flavor.

Thyme, Bay leaves and parsley: All three are classic flavors for chicken soup.

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute. For the best results, never add flour or cornstarch directly to your soup. If you do, it will clump up on top. Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool.

Cream and milk can be used as substitutes in soup recipes, but it will affect the texture and flavor of the soup. Milk is a thinner liquid than cream and is generally used to add a creamy texture to soups without the added fat content. It will also give a slightly tangy flavor to the soup.

Cream is used to add richness to soup, as the extra fat makes it delicious. Be sure not to bring it to a boil, but rather, add it in at the last minute before serving. The best item to thicken a soup is some sort of starch, whether from flour, cornstarch, arrowroot, or even a lot of potatoes.

Add Vinegar To Begin With To Avoid Oversalting

Vinegar, much like salt, is a flavor enhancer — it not only imparts its own taste and acidity to a soup, but in small quantities, it helps to bring out the brightness of other ingredients as well.

Adding things like lemongrass and lime will give your chicken noodle soup more of that tangy base, whereas the coconut milk will bring a creamy, richer taste to the dish. Curry paste is another Thai staple that can easily be incorporated into the base of the soup and is a great way to pack it with spicy flavors.

Why do you add lemon juice to chicken noodle soup? ›

Not only does acid brighten your soup, but also balance the flavor including the saltiness that comes from the broth (store-bought chicken broth and stock, or bouillon, are typically high in sodium).

Best Ingredients to Use:

Vegetables: Onion, carrots, and celery form the mirepoix flavor base for this soup. Herbs/Flavors: Use a blend of garlic, dried or fresh thyme and oregano, fresh ground pepper, and salt. Feel free to use other herbs you enjoy instead, if desired.

The most classic and surefire way to thicken a broth-based soup is with a cornstarch slurry. Whisk together equal parts cornstarch (or arrowroot) and water or broth, then whisk it into the pot of soup. A good ratio to get to a pleasant thickness without your soup tasting goopy or heavy is one tablespoon.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

"If your broth is lacking in savory richness, try adding roasted onion, tomato paste, mushrooms, seaweed, soy sauce, or miso. These ingredients add umami flavor and depth to broth," she says.

Foods like rice, bread, potatoes and beans are naturally high in starches, which, when broken down, act as a thickening agent. With rice, the grains will break down into the soup as it's simmered and stirred, releasing the starches and thickening the soup.