Description

This Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Mini Croutons is a comforting and flavorful dish perfect for chilly days. Tender chicken breast cooked in a rich broth with aromatic vegetables, creamy milk, and broken angel hair pasta makes a hearty base. Crispy bacon bits and crunchy homemade mini croutons add delightful texture contrasts, while fresh herbs brighten the flavors. This soup combines simplicity and elegance, delivering a warming and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Bacon

400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; boneless thighs can be substituted)
1/4 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
1/4 tbsp black pepper
4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)

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 / 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)

Dairy and Liquids

30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
4 tbsp flour
3 cups milk (full fat preferred, low fat or non-dairy okay)
2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
2 cups water
1 tsp cooking salt

Pasta

1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or broken spaghetti pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)

Croutons

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

Instructions

Prepare Croutons: Preheat oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Spread on a baking tray and bake for 8-10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Set aside to cool.
Season Chicken: Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly on both sides of the chicken breasts.
Cook Bacon: Place bacon strips in a single layer in a cold large pot. Turn heat to medium-high and cook bacon until golden brown on both sides (about 2-3 minutes first side, 1.5 minutes second side). Remove bacon to paper towels to drain and crisp as it cools. Finely chop and set aside for garnish, leaving the bacon fat in the pot.
Cook Chicken: In the same pot with bacon fat, cook chicken for 1.5 minutes on each side until light golden. Remove and let cool slightly. Chop into small 8 mm (1/3″) cubes.
Sauté Vegetables and Make Roux: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt butter in the pot. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until carrot softens and onion is translucent, avoiding browning. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to eliminate raw flour taste.
Add Liquids: Slowly pour in milk while stirring to dissolve the flour. Add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir the mixture.
Simmer Soup Base: Bring soup to a simmer over high heat. Then reduce heat and gently simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will seem thin but will thicken as pasta cooks.
Cook Pasta and Vegetables: Increase heat to high and add broken pasta and corn kernels. Cook for 5 minutes or until pasta softens. Add frozen peas and chopped chicken (including any juices) in the last 2 minutes, stirring gently.
Serve: Ladle soup into bowls. Top with chopped crispy bacon, mini croutons, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy warm.

Notes

Using full-fat milk makes the soup creamier, but low-fat or non-dairy milk alternatives are fine for lighter versions.
Bacon fat from cooking adds delicious depth of flavor—do not discard it before cooking chicken and vegetables.
Broken angel hair pasta cooks quickly, but other small pasta shapes can be used according to preference.
Adjust salt to taste especially if using salted bacon or stock with salt.
Croutons can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for added convenience.
Thyme is optional but adds an herbal aroma that elevates the soup.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American

Keywords: creamy chicken noodle soup, chicken soup with croutons, homemade chicken noodle, bacon chicken soup, angel hair pasta soup, cozy winter soup