Description

This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for any season. Tender chicken, crispy bacon, and a medley of vegetables simmered in a rich, creamy broth combine with delicate angel hair pasta and crunchy homemade croutons to create a satisfying and flavorful soup that delights the senses.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken & Seasoning

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

Bacon & Fat

4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter

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)

Liquids & Starch

4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk (full fat best but low fat or non-dairy alternatives okay)
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)

Croutons

1 cup bread (crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes; sourdough for crunchier texture or regular sandwich bread)
2 tsp olive oil
Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Prepare 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 and fully crisp. Cool on the tray and set aside.
Season chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper evenly to season.
Cook crispy bacon: Place bacon strips in a single layer into an unheated large pot. Turn heat to medium-high and cook bacon for about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1.5 minutes on the second side until golden and crispy. Remove bacon from pot and drain on paper towels, reserving the bacon fat in the pot. Finely chop the bacon and set aside for garnish.
Cook chicken: In the same pot with the hot bacon fat, add the seasoned chicken and cook for 1.5 minutes per side until light golden. Remove chicken to a plate and once cool enough to handle, chop into small 8 mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
Make the broth base: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt the unsalted butter in the same pot. Add finely diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs (if using). Cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes until the carrot softens but the onion does not brown.
Thicken: Sprinkle in the flour and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook the flour. While stirring, slowly pour in the milk to avoid lumps. Once the flour is fully dissolved, add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp cooking salt, stirring to combine.
Simmer: Increase heat to high and bring soup to a gentle simmer. Then reduce heat and let it simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will seem thin at this point but will thicken as the pasta cooks.
Add pasta and corn: Turn heat back to high and add the broken angel hair pasta along with the corn kernels. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the pasta is tender.
Finish cooking: During the last 2 minutes, add the frozen peas and the chopped chicken including any juices that have collected on the plate. Heat everything through.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with the crispy chopped bacon, crunchy croutons, and a pinch of finely chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy your creamy chicken noodle soup!

Notes

Boneless chicken thighs can be used as a substitute for chicken breasts for a more tender result.
Bacon should be cooked slowly to render fat without burning, which adds flavor to the soup base.
The soup will seem thin before the pasta cooks; trust the process as it thickens nicely.
Use crustless bread for croutons to avoid sogginess; sourdough gives a crunchier texture.
You can substitute full-fat milk with low-fat or non-dairy alternatives if preferred.
Leftover soup can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.