Print

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Mini Croutons Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 63 reviews

This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a hearty and comforting dish perfect for chilly days. Tender pieces of chicken breast cooked in flavorful bacon fat are combined with a medley of vegetables, corn, peas, and broken angel hair pasta in a rich, creamy broth. Crispy bacon bits and homemade golden mini croutons add texture and a burst of flavor, making it a satisfying meal for the whole family.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

  • 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks, boneless thighs can be substituted)
  • 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)

Vegetables & Herbs

  • 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)
  • 3/4 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)

Dairy & Liquids

  • 30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 cups milk (full fat preferred but low fat or non-dairy okay)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
  • 2 cups water

Pantry

  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces or other small pasta)
  • 1 cup bread (crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes; sourdough or regular sandwich bread)
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (for chicken)
  • 1 tsp cooking salt (for soup)
  • Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt (for croutons)
  • 1/4 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare Croutons & Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan-forced). In a bowl, toss the crustless bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of cooking salt. Spread them evenly on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until they turn golden and fully crisp. Cooling on the tray, set them aside for garnish.
  2. Season the Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp cooking salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper evenly to season well, preparing them for cooking.
  3. Cook Crispy Bacon: Place the streaky bacon strips in a single layer in an unheated large pot. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the bacon for approximately 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1 1/2 minutes on the second side until golden and crispy. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels, then finely chop it. Leave the bacon fat in the pot for use in the soup and set the chopped bacon aside for garnish.
  4. Cook the Chicken: In the same pot, with the residual bacon fat, cook the seasoned chicken breasts for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until they develop a light golden color. Remove the chicken onto a plate and once cool, chop into small 8 mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
  5. Sauté Vegetables and Make Roux: Lower heat to medium-high and melt the butter in the same pot. Add finely diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs (if using). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly until the carrot softens and the onions are translucent but not browned. Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
  6. Add Liquids and Simmer: Gradually pour in the milk while stirring to dissolve the flour evenly. Once smooth, add the chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp cooking salt. Stir well. Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Then reduce the heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup might seem thin initially, but it will thicken as the pasta cooks.
  7. Cook Pasta and Final Ingredients: Turn heat back up to high and add the broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for about 5 minutes until the pasta is tender. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas and chopped chicken including any accumulated juices to warm through.
  8. Serve: Ladle the creamy chicken noodle soup into bowls. Garnish generously with the crispy chopped bacon, homemade mini croutons, and a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

  • The bacon fat adds rich flavor to the soup, so be sure to leave it in the pot when removing cooked bacon and chicken.
  • Using full-fat milk results in a creamier soup, but you can substitute with low-fat or non-dairy milk if preferred.
  • Broken angel hair is ideal for this soup as it cooks quickly and fits well on a spoon, but other small pasta shapes can be used.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste before serving; the soup should be gently salted as the broth and bacon add saltiness.
  • If sourdough bread is used for croutons, it may take slightly longer to crisp up in the oven than regular sandwich bread.

Keywords: creamy chicken noodle soup, chicken soup with croutons, homemade chicken soup, easy chicken noodle soup, comfort food soup, bacon chicken soup, angel hair pasta soup

Find it online: https://flavorsbymaya.com/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup-with-mini-croutons-recipe/