I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a little very tired of the cold and snowy weather we’ve been having this winter (although I’m super excited it’s finally gotten above freezing this week! Woohoo!). You would think that since I’ve grown up in the Midwest my whole life, I’d be immune to these snowy, cold winters. Nope. It gets me every time. Don’t get me wrong, I love the snow and I love the Midwest, but sometimes it just drags on a little more than I’d like (especially, I’ve been realizing, in Wisconsin). If winter could start wrapping things up once February hit, I’d be perfectly content.

But, since that obviously isn’t the case, I’ve been making warm, comforting soups to get me through the winter—Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles being one of them! Of all the comfort foods, I think soups and stews reign supreme. I think it’s the instant warmth you feel as it goes down your throat and then just seems to permeate warmth through your whole body.

Plus, soups can be a very healthy comfort food compared to some of those heavy, cheese-laden casseroles. Of course, not all soups are created equal; the creamy soups are usually going to be more calorie-dense with more fat content from the cream or cheese added into it. I find broth-based soups, which have less calories and fat in them, to be just as filling and comforting—especially my Chicken Noodle Soup! The homemade egg noodles are really the star of the soup and totally turns it into that desired comfort food we’re all looking for this time of year.

Some people may be intimidated by the thought of making noodles from scratch or actually preparing a soup besides just warming up a can of Progresso in the microwave. Really, it’s so simple, not to mention so rewarding in the end, too! I have so much more appreciation for the food I’m eating when I think back to the basic ingredients I started out with. And egg noodles and chicken noodle soup could not have any more basic of ingredients—pretty much all staples that you’ll likely have in your kitchen already.

Let’s get started! First, for the egg noodles. Don’t worry, you don’t need any special pasta maker for these or any special tools at all, for that matter. There’s only four ingredients: flour, salt, water, and, of course, eggs.

There are many different ways to make egg noodles, but I find this one to be one of the easiest, least messy, and has a great taste. After beating the eggs and water together, just add in the flour and salt. This will need to be kneaded (to form the gluten) just until it has a nice, uniform look to it (about three to five minutes).

After kneading, let it rest on the counter for about 20 minutes to relax the newly-formed gluten. This helps make the dough a little more manageable when rolling it out and keeps the dough from pulling back on you (which makes it feel like you’re getting no where!).

After it has rested, cut the dough into fourths and roll out and cut each section separately.

I like my egg noodles on the thicker side, so I roll the dough out to about 1/8–1/4 inch in thickness. The great thing about making things from scratch is you can tailor it to your liking! The best way I’ve found to cut the dough is using a pizza cutter.

After cutting the dough into long strips, peel it off the counter (a knife can help with this if it gets sticky) and place it on a cloth to dry. Once they’re dry, break them up into the size you want for the soup. Don’t worry if the noodles aren’t completely dry when you want to add them to the soup; just make sure the noodles you don’t use are dry before putting them in an airtight container or Ziploc bag to store in the freezer.

Homemade Egg Noodles: Done!

Now on to the soup!

The soup comes together pretty quickly and with the egg noodles made, they don’t take long at all to cook. Start by chopping up onion, celery, and carrots and sautéing them in a large soup pot until they’re tender (about five minutes).

Add in the chicken stock or broth and the spices and bring to a boil. Broth-based soups, whether homemade or from the can, are relatively a healthy choice…except for the sodium content. Have you seen the amount of sodium in canned soups?! I can hardly look at it. It’s more than half of the amount we need in a day and if you’re not careful, homemade soups can be just as bad in terms of sodium. I like using unsalted chicken stock or, at least, reduced-sodium chicken broth. I can still get a lot of great flavor from the other spices I add to the soup, so I don’t miss the sodium at all. Even better, you could make your own stock. I didn’t for this soup, but making your own allows you to control the salt, not to mention the flavor is so much better than anything you’d get in a carton or can.

Once the soup is boiling, add in the trimmed chicken breasts. Allow this to cook through, remove from soup, and shred. This takes some time to shred, but the result is so worth it!

At this point, you can put the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the egg noodles. Since the egg noodles cook in just five minutes or so, feel free to leave them out until you plan on serving the soup—this makes it a great soup to prep on the weekend and have later in the week! Once the egg noodles start rising to the surface, you know they’re done.

Pair this flavorful and satisfying Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles with some bread or crackers and raw veggies or fruit, and you have a healthy, comforting meal to help you beat these last few cold winter months!

What is your favorite winter soup? What do you do to help you make it through the winter months? 

Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Egg Noodles

Serves 6

Egg Noodle Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 4 Tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cups flour

Egg Noodle Directions:

1. Beat the eggs and water together. Mix in the salt and flour.
2. Knead the dough on a floured surface for about about three to five minutes until the dough has a uniform look. Let the dough rest for 20 minutes to relax the gluten.
3. Divide the dough into four equal sections. Roll each section out on a floured surface to prevent sticking into 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.
4. With a pizza cutter, cut the dough lengthwise into long strips, about 1/4 inch thick or desired thickness. Peel strips off of counter and place on a towel to dry. Let noodles dry completely before storing in an air tight container or Ziploc bag in the freezer. Alternatively, noodles can be used right away before they are completely dry.

Ingredients for Chicken Noodle Soup:

• 1 Tbsp olive oi
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Pepper to taste
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 2 large chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and cut into halves
• 2–3 cups uncooked noodles

Directions for Chicken Noodle Soup:

1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the celery, carrots, and onion, season with pepper to taste, then sauté until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add chicken broth or stock, thyme, bay leaf, and parsley to the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken breast halves and cook until no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes, then remove to a plate to cool slightly. Shred the chicken when cool enough to handle.
3. Add the shredded chicken and the noodles into the soup pot and cook until noodles are done, about 5–10 minutes depending on the noodle thickness. Noodles will begin to rise to the surface when cooked through. If not serving soup immediately, wait to add the noodles until the day it will be served.