Stove Top Chicken Noodle Soup (using frozen chicken)
Cooking with frozen chicken thighs is easy with this recipe. Don’t fret when you forget to defrost the chicken!
Equipment
- 1 5-quart pot
- measuring cups and spoons
- 1 large cutting board
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 large plate or large bowl
- 2 large forks
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 to 5 thighs)
- 8 cups water divided
- 8 cups chicken stock or chicken broth, divided
- 3 celery ribs chopped
- 2 small carrots peeled and chopped
- 1 small onion or ½ of a large onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp garlic diced, or 1 tbsp granulated garlic powder
- ½ tbsp dried Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 cups egg noodles
- ½ tsp salt (optional)
Instructions
- Place the frozen chicken thighs, 8 cups of water, and 4 cups of chicken stock into the pot on high heat. Bring to a boil; this takes about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the type of pot and stove you have.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to medium heat and cover. Cook for 25 minutes.
- After 25 minutes, take off the cover of the pot. Skim off any scum that forms (the white foamy stuff floating on the top). Add the celery, carrots, onions, garlic or granulated garlic, dried Italian seasoning, ground black pepper, and the remaining 4 cups of chicken stock. Stir, raise heat back to high and bring to a boil (takes about 2 minutes).
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
- Take off the lid of the pot and remove the chicken and set aside on a large plate or bowl. Add the egg noodles and cook for the length of time recommended on the package instructions.
- While the noodles are cooking, remove the chicken and skin off the bones. Discard the bones and skin and shred the chicken with 2 large forks.
- Add the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste the soup and, if needed, add up to ½ tsp additional salt.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
Can I swap ingredients?
Any noodle will work in this soup. Macaroni, orzo, or other small cut noodles will be tasty here. You can also use quinoa if you prefer. Just add it to the soup so it will only cook for the recommended cook time on the package.
Also, use any vegetables that your family enjoys. Zucchini, potatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower, and more will be a great addition/replacement. Each ingredient cooks at different rates, so be cautious about when you add it to the soup to avoid mushy vegetables.
I don’t have chicken stock. Can I use chicken bouillon instead?
Yes, just follow the directions on the chicken bouillon to get 8 cups of water/chicken bouillon mixture.
How do I avoid mushy noodles in leftover soup?
I would cool the soup and freeze the leftovers. This will stop the noodle from continuously absorbing the liquid from the soup. Reheat the soup from its frozen state by warming it on the stove on medium heat for 10 minutes. If you froze them in ice cube trays or a muffin pan, heat 2 or 3 pieces of frozen soup in a microwave-safe bowl for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every 1 minute for more even heating.