This Hairy Bikers chicken noodle soup simmers a whole chicken with onions, carrots, green pepper, and egg noodles into a clear, golden broth. It comes from the Hairy Bikers Cookbook, serves 6 to 8, and it is the kind of soup that quietly fixes a bad day.
There is a proper story behind this one. It was first cooked by their friend Sara for the then Prince Charles, so the book fairly calls it a soup fit for a king.
The secret is a long, slow simmer, so do not rush the broth. Four hours sounds like a lot, yet that gentle heat is what draws every bit of flavour out of the chicken.
Hairy Bikers Chicken Noodle Soup
Description
A whole chicken gently simmered with onions, green pepper, garlic, parsley, and peppercorns until the broth turns golden and rich. It is strained, then carrots go in to soften before egg noodles finish the pot, with fresh parsley scattered over each bowl.
Ingredients
For the soup
Instructions
- Start the broth: Put the whole chicken in a large pot with the onions, green pepper, parsley, and garlic. Pour over the water, then add the peppercorns. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat right down.
- Simmer low and slow: Cover and simmer gently for about 4 hours. Keep the heat low so the broth stays clear rather than cloudy, and top up with a little water if the level drops too far.
- Strain and set aside: Strain the broth into a clean pan and discard the cooked-out vegetables. Lift out the chicken and set it aside, because the meat is lovely for other dishes.
- Add the carrots: Bring the strained broth back to a simmer, then add the carrots. Cook them for about 30 minutes until tender but still holding their shape.
- Finish with noodles: Add the egg noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until just cooked. Scatter finely chopped parsley over each bowl, then serve with pride.
FAQs
Can I make it from a leftover chicken carcass?
You can, and it is a brilliant way to use up a Sunday roast carcass. Pop the bones and any leftover meat in the pot with the same vegetables, then simmer for a couple of hours.
Strain it, add the carrots and noodles, and you have soup from something you might have binned. This is close to the version the Hairy Bikers cooked on their BBC show, and it costs almost nothing to make.
Is there a Thai or spicy version of this soup?
Yes, for a fragrant, spicy bowl the Hairy Bikers have a Thai chicken soup called tom kha gai. It swaps the clear broth for coconut milk, then adds lemongrass, galangal, kaffir lime, and bird’s eye chillies.
The chicken poaches gently in that spiced coconut broth, so it stays soft and soaks up the heat. Finish with lime and fish sauce for the classic hot, sweet, sour, and salty Thai balance.
What is the chicken ball noodle soup version?
Yes, their fragrant version uses little chicken balls instead of pieces of poached chicken. You mix minced chicken with spring onion, garlic, chilli, and cornflour, then roll it into 16 small balls.
The balls poach in the fragrant broth for about five minutes until cooked through. It is a lighter, prettier bowl, and the little balls are easy for children to spoon up.
Is chicken noodle soup actually good for a cold?
Yes, chicken soup has earned its nickname as Jewish penicillin for good reason. The warm broth soothes a sore throat, while the rising steam helps clear a stuffy nose.
That long simmer also draws goodness from the chicken into the broth, which is why a bowl feels so restorative. It will not cure a cold, yet few things comfort you more when you are under the weather.
Can I freeze it, and what noodles work best?
Yes, the broth freezes beautifully, so make a big batch and freeze it in portions. Leave the noodles out until you reheat, because they turn soft and bloated if frozen in the soup.
Any egg noodles work here, from fresh to dried to a nest of instant ones in a hurry. That leftover poached chicken is worth saving too, since it is lovely in a chicken and leek pie or folded into a coronation chicken.
