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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Crispy Bacon and Mini Croutons Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 126 reviews

This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for any season. Tender chicken breast, crispy bacon bits, and crunchy homemade croutons complement a rich, creamy broth loaded with vegetables, pasta, and sweet corn. The soup balances textures and flavors beautifully, making it a delightful meal for family or guests.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken and Meat

  • 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; boneless thighs can be substituted)
  • 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover the base of the pot)

Vegetables and 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 inch pieces)
  • 1 carrot, chopped (~0.5 x 1 cm / 1/5 x 1/2 inch 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
  • 3 cups milk (full fat preferred but low fat or non-dairy acceptable)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
  • 2 cups water

Pantry

  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)
  • 1 cup bread, crustless, cut into 7mm / 1/4 inch cubes (sourdough or regular sandwich bread)
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (divided: 1/4 tsp for chicken, 1 tsp for soup, pinch for croutons)
  • 1/4 tbsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Croutons & crispy bacon: Preheat the oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan forced). Toss bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Cool on tray and set aside.
  2. Season chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper evenly.
  3. Crispy bacon: Place bacon strips in a single layer in a cold large pot. Turn heat to medium-high and cook bacon until golden on both sides – about 2-3 minutes for the first side and 1 1/2 minutes for the second. Remove bacon and place on paper towels to drain and crisp up. Finely chop the cooled bacon and set aside for garnish. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
  4. Cook chicken: In the same pot with the bacon fat still hot, cook chicken breasts for 1 1/2 minutes each side until lightly golden. Remove chicken to a plate. Once cooled, chop into small 8 mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
  5. Make the broth base: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt the butter in the pot. Add diced onion, minced garlic, celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs (if using). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the carrot softens but the onion does not brown. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
  6. Add liquids and simmer: Slowly pour in the milk while stirring to dissolve the flour. Add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir well and bring mixture 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 the pasta cooks.
  7. Cook pasta and vegetables: Increase the heat to high again. Add broken pasta and corn kernels to the pot and cook for 5 minutes until pasta softens. In the last 2 minutes, add frozen peas and the chopped chicken along with any juices on the plate.
  8. Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the crispy chopped bacon, croutons, and a pinch of parsley if desired. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

  • Using boneless thighs instead of chicken breast will add more flavor and tenderness.
  • Cooking bacon in a cold pan and gradually heating helps render fat and crisp it well without burning.
  • Don’t let the onion brown when cooking the vegetables to keep soup color bright and flavor fresh.
  • The soup will seem thin before pasta fully cooks, but it thickens as pasta absorbs liquid.
  • Sourdough bread makes crunchier croutons but regular sandwich bread works fine.
  • You can substitute low-fat milk or even non-dairy milk alternatives if preferred.

Keywords: chicken noodle soup, creamy soup, homemade croutons, comfort food, easy soup

Find it online: https://cookedbycleo.com/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup-with-crispy-bacon-and-mini-croutons-recipe/