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Paula Deen Chicken Noodle Soup

Paula Deen chicken noodle soup is a rich, butter-enriched Southern-style broth made by simmering a whole chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, then shredding and finishing with wide egg noodles. Expect a deeply comforting, golden broth with tender carrots, celery, and onion in every spoonful.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

whole chicken (3-4 pounds)
  • 1 whole chicken Use a 3-4 lb chicken
carrots
  • 5 carrots Slice; use half during the first simmer, then add the rest later
celery
  • 5 celery stalks with leaves Slice; use half during the first simmer, then add the rest later
onion
  • 1 large onion Dice; use half during the first simmer, then add the rest later
garlic
  • 4 garlic cloves Minced
water
  • 10 cup water
chicken broth
  • 4 cup chicken broth Split; use 2 cups during the first simmer, then add remaining cups later
unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter For the rich, golden finish
dried thyme
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
dried parsley
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
wide egg noodles
  • 12 oz wide egg noodles
salt and pepper
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste; use 1 tsp in the first pot simmer, then season generously later
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper To taste; add generously after noodles are tender
fresh parsley for garnish
  • 0.25 cup fresh parsley Chopped; reserve for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Simmer the whole chicken
  1. Place the whole chicken in a very large pot with water, 2 cups chicken broth, half the carrots, half the celery with leaves, half the diced onion, bay leaves, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  2. Skim foam from the surface, then reduce to a steady simmer (about 185–205°F / 85–96°C) and cook for 45 minutes. Simmer until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
  3. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred all meat, then discard skin, bones, and used vegetables. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve back into a clean pot.
Build the soup and cook the noodles
  1. Return strained broth to the pot, then add the remaining chicken broth, butter, remaining carrots, celery with leaves, remaining onion, and minced garlic. Simmer for 10 minutes (about 185–205°F / 85–96°C) to soften vegetables.
  2. Add the shredded chicken, dried thyme, and dried parsley to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes (about 185–205°F / 85–96°C) so the flavors blend.
  3. Add wide egg noodles and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Look for noodles that are soft with no hard center.
  4. Season generously with salt and black pepper, then turn off the heat. Sprinkle fresh parsley on top right before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: strain the broth right after shredding the chicken for a smoother, richer base. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3-4 days; reheat gently to avoid overcooking noodles. Freezing is not recommended because noodles may turn soft; for a make-ahead approach, cook noodles separately and add them when reheating. For a lighter option, use less butter (about 2 tbsp) and choose low-sodium chicken broth.