Too Simple Cream of Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the homemade answer to canned cream of chicken soup, the kind of one-pot supper that fills a Dutch oven and feeds a hungry family with leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Bone-in chicken gets simmered until it falls off the bone, building a stock that becomes the soup’s foundation. The veggies and macaroni cook directly in that broth, soaking up every bit of meaty flavor.

The cream comes from a quick stovetop béchamel: butter and flour cooked into a paste, then whisked smooth with milk before joining the soup. This is what separates this version from a thin chicken noodle. The roux thickens the broth into something silky and rich, while sage and thyme add the herbed warmth you’d find in a good chicken pot pie.

Using bone-in chicken (rather than boneless breasts) makes a real difference. The bones contribute gelatin and depth that boneless cuts can’t match.

Pro Tips

• Skim foam off the broth as the chicken simmers. Cleaner broth gives a clearer, more polished finished soup.
• Cook the macaroni right in the broth rather than separately. The pasta soaks up flavor as it cooks and the released starch helps thicken the soup.
• Let the béchamel cook for at least one minute before adding milk to remove the raw-flour taste.
• For a richer soup, swap half the milk for half-and-half or whole cream. The thyme and sage hold up to extra dairy.

Variations

• Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas in the last 5 minutes for color and sweetness.
• Add a splash of dry white wine to the béchamel for extra depth.
• Use egg noodles or orzo instead of macaroni for a different mouthfeel.