Description

This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a comforting and hearty dish featuring tender chicken, small pasta, fresh vegetables, and crispy bacon, all enveloped in a rich, creamy broth. The soup is perfectly complemented by homemade crunchy croutons, making it an ideal warming meal for any day.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Seasoning

400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; can substitute boneless thighs)
1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
1/4 tbsp black pepper

Bacon and Croutons

4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
1 cup bread (crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes – sourdough or regular sandwich bread)
2 tsp olive oil
Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt

Soup Base and Vegetables

30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
2 celery stalks, chopped (~0.5 x 1.2 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
1 carrot, chopped (0.5 x 1 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk (full fat best, but low fat or non-dairy ok)
2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
2 cups water
1 tsp cooking salt
1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)
3/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

Make Croutons: Preheat the oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden brown and fully crisp. Remove and cool on the tray; set aside.
Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts/shanks with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper evenly and set aside.
Cook Crispy Bacon: Place bacon strips in a single layer in a cold large pot. Turn heat to medium-high and cook bacon until golden on both sides – about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1.5 minutes on the second. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Finely chop when cool and set aside for garnish. Leave bacon fat in the pot.
Cook Chicken: Using the same pot with bacon fat, cook seasoned chicken over medium-high heat for 1.5 minutes on each side, until lightly golden. Remove from pot, let cool slightly, then chop into small 8mm (1/3″) cubes.
Prepare Broth Base: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt the butter in the same pot. Add diced onion, minced garlic, celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the carrot softens but onion does not brown. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute more to remove raw flour taste.
Add Liquids to Form Soup: Slowly pour in the milk while stirring continuously to dissolve the flour without lumps. Once smooth, add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine well.
Simmer Soup: Raise heat to high and bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will initially seem thin but will thicken as pasta cooks.
Cook Pasta and Vegetables: Turn heat back to high. Add broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for 5 minutes until pasta softens. In the last 2 minutes, add frozen peas and chopped chicken along with any juices.
Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with chopped crispy bacon, mini croutons, and a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley, if using. Enjoy warm.

Notes

For a richer flavor, use full-fat milk but low-fat or non-dairy milk can also be used.
Bacon fat adds depth of flavor; do not discard it after cooking bacon.
Be careful not to brown the onions while sautéing; cook until softened only for best texture.
The soup thickens as the pasta cooks; do not add extra thickener.
Mini croutons add a delightful crunch and can be seasoned with herbs or garlic powder for extra flavor.
Chicken thighs can be used instead of breasts for more moist and tender meat.
Vegetables can be adjusted to taste or seasonal availability.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: creamy chicken noodle soup, chicken soup, homemade croutons, bacon garnish, comforting soup, easy chicken soup recipe