Oma's Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe: Oma's Hühner-Nudelsuppe

by: Gerhild Fulson  /  Cookbook Author, Blogger, German Oma!

This easy chicken noodle soup recipe, known in German as Hühner-Nudelsuppe, is more than just a meal. It's like a warm hug from the past, a taste of home, and a remedy for cold winter days, especially when it's made with love and steeped in family tradition.

A Taste of Germany in Canada

Growing up in Canada, far from the bustling streets of Mutti's Berlin, I always looked forward to the days when she would make this Hühner-Nudelsuppe. She made it to help ward off those cold Canadian winters. it was her way of giving us Germany in Canada by raising us with the tastes she grew up with.

Mutti's easy chicken noodle soup recipe was somehow different, more flavorful, and definitely more comforting than what I tasted at my friends' houses. It wasn't until years later that I realized the secret – it wasn't just soup; it was a bowl full of love and heritage, with the tastes of Germany.

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Why make Homemade Broth?

The foundation of this soup is a rich, homemade chicken broth. While you CAN use store-bought chicken broth if you're short on time, I highly recommend making it from scratch. The depth of flavor you achieve with homemade broth is unparalleled, and it's surprisingly simple to make.

Start with the least expensive chicken you can find – whole or in parts. Simmer it with a mix of vegetables like celery, onions, carrots, and parsnips. This not only creates a flavorful base for your soup but also provides you with tender chicken meat to use in the final dish.

Be Creative — Customize!

One of the beauties of this easy chicken noodle soup recipe is its versatility. Mutti always encouraged us to be creative in the kitchen, and this soup is perfect for that. While the traditional German version calls for celeriac, carrots, and onions, don't be afraid to experiment.

You can add mushrooms for an earthy flavor, or toss in some cauliflower or broccoli for extra nutrition. Bell peppers can add a touch of sweetness and color. Each additional vegetable brings its own unique flavor to the soup, creating a new experience every time you make it.

Noodles, Pasta, or Rice?

The 'noodle' in this chicken noodle soup is traditionally fine or medium egg noodles. They cook quickly and have a delicate texture but don't feel limited to just egg noodles.

Regular pasta works wonderfully too, especially small shapes that are easy to spoon up. Stars, alphabets, or tiny shells are particularly fun for kids and grandkids – it's a great way to make mealtime memorable.

For a heartier variation, you can even transform this easy chicken noodle soup recipe into a chicken rice soup. Simply substitute the noodles with about ¾ cup of long-grain white rice. Add it along with the vegetables and let it simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender.

Not Just for the Winter

While we often consider chicken noodle soup to be a winter dish, this recipe is perfect year-round. In the colder months, it's the ultimate comfort food, warming you from the inside out.

But don't overlook it during the warmer seasons! A light version with plenty of fresh vegetables can be incredibly refreshing on a cool summer evening.

Chicken Noodle Soup, AKA "Jewish Penicillin"

There's a reason chicken noodle soup is often called “Jewish penicillin”. It's known for its ability to soothe and heal. Whether you're feeling under the weather or just need a comforting meal, this easy chicken noodle soup recipe is the perfect solution.

The warm broth helps clear congestion, the vegetables provide essential nutrients, and the chicken offers lean protein to support overall health. 

Here's How to Make Mutti's Chicken Noodle Soup

Assemble what you'll be using for your homemade chicken broth. You can add celeriac if you have it available.

Put everything in a large stockpot and bring to a simmer. You may want to remove the foam (scum) during the cooking ... or not. It actually brings a depth of flavor if you leave it in. 

Just stir that foam in as it's cooking. It won't really be obvious. However, if you want a really clear broth, then remove it.

Once you've strained the broth, gather all your ingredients to make your easy chicken noodle recipe. If you don't have about 5 cups of broth, add some water to make up the difference. 

Below, I'm using fine egg noodles. These vegetables are the traditional ones to use. If you can get celeriac (celery root), that would be fabulous. If not, just use some ribs of celery.

Once you've removed the chicken pieces and let them cool, you can start separating the meat from the bones. You'll need to be careful to remove ALL bones, especially any little ones.

You'll also want to remove any skin and fat. These aren't that nice to have in your soup!

You really can add almost any variety of vegetables to your soup. Here I've included with the traditional carrots, celery and onions, some mushrooms and cauliflower (my favorites).

Once you've finished cooking the broth with the vegetables and noodles, return the meat to the soup to heat through.

In the soup pictured below, I've added carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and corn to the stock and cooked it about 10 minutes until the veggies were almost tender.

Then I added the noodles and spinach and cooked till the noodles were done ... about 4 minutes for these fine egg noodles.

Re-season and done! Wunderbar!

Oma says,

In the recipe below, you'll end up with a delicious broth and are able to use inexpensive cuts of chicken.

You'll also have meat to put in the soup as well as extra meat to use for another meal.

To finish off the soup, use either fine or medium egg noodles. The amount varies depending on how thick you like your soup.

Economical and easy! Especially with the hints section at the end of the recipe -- you'll discover how this soup cleans out the veggie crisper!

Ready to make this Chicken Noodle Soup?

So gather your ingredients, roll up your sleeves, and get ready to create a bowl of comfort that would make any Oma proud.

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Print Recipe

German Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe: Oma's Hühner-Nudelsuppe

Make my easy chicken noodle soup recipe, aka Hühner-Nudelsuppe, made from scratch! Yes, you could make this using store-bought chicken broth. But why pay more for something that doesn't taste as great as home-made?

Buy the least expensive chicken you can - whole or parts - and simmer with soup veggies to make a stock that's really flavorful. Then, make your soup.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 80 minutes

Total Time 100 minutes

Ingredients:

Ingredients for Chicken Broth:

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 5 - 6 cups (1.2 - 1.4 l) water
• 1 tsp (3 g) VEGETA food seasoning (see Notes/Hints below)
• 1⁄2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper
• 1 - 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 - 2 carrots, chopped 
• 1 - 2 parsnips, chopped 
• 1 - 2 leeks, chopped

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup:

• 5 cups (1.2 l) homemade chicken broth from above
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 - 1½cups (38 - 57 g) egg noodles
• 1 - 2 cups (150 - 300 g) diced cooked chicken
• VEGETA food seasoning, to taste
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• chopped fresh parsley, to garnish

Instructions:

Instructions for Chicken Broth:

1. Remove any visible fat from the chicken.
2. Put the chicken pieces into a large pot and cover with water.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour, until the chicken is tender. Occasionally skim the foam from the top while the broth is simmering.
4. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Strain the cooking liquid through a sieve, saving the liquid and discarding the vegetables.
5. Return the broth to the pot to make soup, or let it cool to refrigerate or freeze for later use.
6. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the meat from the bones. Save the meat pieces for a future meal, or use immediately.

Instructions for Chicken Noodle Soup:

1. Pour the broth into a large pot. Add the vegetables and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Add the egg noodles and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, until the noodles are tender.
3. If you’ve just made homemade chicken broth, remove the meat from the bones. Save the nice large pieces for another meal, if desired. Use the smaller pieces, about 1 to 2 cups, for the soup. Otherwise, use leftover cooked chicken.
4. Once the noodles are tender, add the chicken to the soup and season with VEGETA, salt, and pepper.
5. Garnish with parsley to serve.

Notes/Hints:

• When making the soup, you can also add mushrooms, cauliflower, broccoli, peppers, etc. Each additional vegetable adds a different flavor to the finished soup - each absolutely delicious! (it's a great way to clean out the veggie drawer!)
• For a deeper flavor, remove the chicken when it is tender. Separate the meat from the bones and return the bones to the pot. Simmer for up to another 4 hours, then continue with the recipe.
• If you don't have Vegeta, use about 1 teaspoon salt and some freshly ground pepper.
• Instead of egg noodles, you can use pasta. Small shapes work best - and the kids love them.
• Turn this easy chicken noodle soup recipe into a chicken rice soup by using about ¾ cup of long-grained rice with the veggies and simmering about 20 to 25 minutes.

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Unless otherwise noted recipe, images and content © Just like Oma | www.quick-german-recipes.com

10.13.2024 revision update

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Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe made Just like Oma

By Oma Gerhild Fulson

This easy chicken noodle soup recipe, made from scratch, is a real German comfort food.

Ingredients: chicken, Vegeta/salt, celery, onions, carrots, parsnips/leeks, egg noodles, parsley, seasonings,

For the full recipe, scroll up ...

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More about me >

Hi, I'm Oma Gerhild! As a food writer and cookbook author, I'm always looking to find ways to pass on my German heritage using local ingredients. Quick and easy. That's my goal. Wunderbar food. That's the result.