Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons offers a comforting blend of tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and delicate angel hair pasta in a rich, flavorful broth. Finished with crispy bacon and crunchy homemade croutons, it’s a perfect cozy meal ready in 40 minutes, ideal for family dinners or anyone craving a warm, hearty soup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 400g (10oz) chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form thin steaks; boneless thighs can be substituted)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper
Bacon and Croutons
- 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
- 1 cup bread (crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes; sourdough or sandwich bread)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch cooking salt or kosher salt
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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 pieces)
- 1 carrot, chopped (~0.5 x 1 cm pieces)
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Soup Base and Pasta
- 30g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups full fat milk (low fat or non-dairy alternatives acceptable)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking salt
- 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)
Instructions
- Prepare Croutons & Crispy Bacon: Preheat oven to 180°C (345°F) or 160°C fan-forced. Toss bread cubes with olive oil and pinch of salt. Bake on a tray for 8-10 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden and crisp. Cool on tray and set aside. Meanwhile, place bacon strips in a cold large pot in a single layer, then heat over medium-high. Cook each side until golden and crispy (about 2-3 minutes first side, 1.5 minutes second side). Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Chop finely and set aside for garnish.
- Season the Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts evenly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper.
- Cook the Chicken: Using the same pot with bacon fat over medium-high heat, cook the chicken for 1.5 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove to a plate, let cool slightly, then chop into small 8mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
- Make the Soup Base: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt the unsalted butter in the pot. Add diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, chopped carrot, and thyme sprigs. Cook while stirring occasionally for 5 minutes until carrots soften but onion doesn’t brown. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk while stirring, ensuring flour dissolves. Add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt and stir well.
- Simmer the Soup: Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and let simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will be thin initially but will thicken as pasta cooks.
- Cook Pasta and Vegetables: Raise heat to high and add broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for about 5 minutes until pasta is tender. Add frozen peas and the chopped chicken (with any accumulated juices) during the last 2 minutes of cooking to heat through.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Top with chopped crispy bacon, homemade croutons, and a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Using streaky bacon renders flavorful fat that adds depth to the soup; do not discard the fat after cooking the bacon.
- Ensure not to brown the onions to maintain a delicate flavor base.
- The soup base will appear thin before pasta cooking; trust it will thicken as pasta absorbs liquid.
- Sourdough bread croutons take slightly longer to crisp than sandwich bread.
- You can substitute chicken thighs for breasts, adjusting cooking time slightly.
- Non-dairy milk alternatives such as oat or almond milk can be used but may slightly alter flavor and creaminess.
