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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Bacon, Croutons, and Veggies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 68 reviews

A comforting and creamy chicken noodle soup featuring tender chicken breast, crispy streaky bacon, and homemade mini croutons. This hearty soup combines delicate angel hair pasta, fresh vegetables, and a rich, creamy broth perfect for warming up on cool days.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken & Bacon

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

Vegetables & 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 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 & Pasta

  • 30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 3 cups milk (full fat preferred but low fat or non-dairy acceptable)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 tsp cooking salt
  • 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)

Croutons

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

Instructions

  1. Croutons & Crispy Bacon: Preheat the oven to 180°C (345°F) conventional or 160°C fan-forced. Toss the cubed bread with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Cool on the tray and set aside. For the bacon, place the strips in a single layer in a cold large pot. Heat over medium-high heat and cook bacon until golden on both sides—about 2-3 minutes on the first side and 1.5 minutes on the second. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. When cool, finely chop and set aside for garnish.
  2. Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and black pepper evenly.
  3. Cook Chicken: In the same pot with the reserved bacon fat still hot, cook the chicken pieces for 1.5 minutes per side until lightly golden. Remove from pot and let cool enough to handle, then chop into small 8mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
  4. Prepare Broth: Lower heat to medium-high. Melt butter in the same pot. Add diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot pieces, and thyme sprigs if using. Cook for about 5 minutes until the carrot softens and the onion is translucent, stirring regularly to prevent browning. Sprinkle flour over and stir for 1 minute to cook out raw flavor. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring constantly until the flour dissolves smoothly. Add chicken stock, water, and salt, stirring to combine.
  5. Simmer Soup: Increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Then lower heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The broth will seem thin but will thicken as pasta cooks.
  6. Cook Pasta & Vegetables: Turn heat back up to high. Add the broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for 5 minutes until pasta becomes tender. Add frozen peas and the chopped chicken (including any juices) for the last 2 minutes to heat through.
  7. Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Garnish with the crispy chopped bacon, homemade mini croutons, and a pinch of chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy immediately for the best texture and flavor.

Notes

  • Bacon fat adds wonderful flavor to the soup; do not discard it after cooking the bacon.
  • Using thinner chicken pieces helps them cook quickly and evenly in the pot.
  • Angel hair pasta or broken spaghetti works best as it cooks quickly and fits nicely into a spoon.
  • Allow the soup to simmer gently after adding milk and flour to avoid curdling and help thicken the broth.
  • Croutons can be adjusted in crunchiness by slightly altering baking time based on bread type.
  • Frozen peas and corn add color and sweetness—feel free to substitute with fresh when available.
  • For dairy-free option, use non-dairy milk like oat or almond milk and ensure stock is suitable.

Keywords: Creamy chicken noodle soup, homemade croutons, chicken soup recipe, quick chicken noodle soup, comfort food soup

Find it online: https://bitesizedbenny.com/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup-with-bacon-croutons-and-veggies-recipe/