• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Eat Like No One Else logo

  • 🏠 Home
  • ℹ️ About
    • How to Eat Like No One Else
  • 🎄 Christmas
    • Christmas Breakfast
    • Christmas Cookies
    • Shopping for Christmas Dinner
  • 🎁 Shop for Gifts
  • ✍️ Sign Up for Virtual Events
  • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
  • 🔨 Work With Us
  • 📝 Privacy Policy
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
menu icon
go to homepage
  • ℹ️ About Us
  • 🎙️ Podcast
  • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
  • 🧂 Upgrade Your Salt
  • 🍎 Apples Reviews
  • 🔨 Work With Us
  • 📝 Privacy Policy
    • Instagram
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • ℹ️ About Us
    • 🎙️ Podcast
    • 🚫 Reduce Food Waste
    • 🧂 Upgrade Your Salt
    • 🍎 Apples Reviews
    • 🔨 Work With Us
    • 📝 Privacy Policy
    • Instagram
  • ×

    Home » Chicken » Single Serving Chicken Noodle Soup

    Single Serving Chicken Noodle Soup

    Published: Jun 11, 2019 · Modified: Oct 25, 2023 by Eric Samuelson

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Get our small batch recipe for a delicious single serving chicken noodle soup.

    What makes it so delicious? Caramelized veggies. Smoked paprika. Really fun noodles.

    Made with leftover cooked chicken and those veggies you forgot were in your fridge.

    A white bowl of chicken noodle soup with log spiral noodles, leftover chicken, sautéed carrots and celery in chicken broth with smoked paprika. The bowl is on top of a white plate with a brown placemat underneath.

    I don't like the overuse nowadays of the words "comfort food".

    It seems like everyone wants to label their top 20 favorite foods as comfort foods.

    Well I think there is one true comfort food, so there is no reason for lists or debate.

    That food is chicken noodle soup.

    When people are sick, they don't ask for pizza, mac & cheese, or meatloaf. They want chicken noodle soup. I think that makes it the ultimate comfort food.

    If you are feeling sick or just don't want to make up a big batch of soup, I am here to help you.

    You got some leftover chicken in the fridge? Maybe some past their prime veggies?

    And don't we all have some half full box of pasta somewhere in our kitchen?

    In a flash you can turn out a single serving chicken noodle soup that will satisfy the soul and for the sick get you back on the couch to watch more Netflix.

    Jump to:
    • 🥣 How Much is One Serving?
    • 🛒 Ingredients
    • 🌶️ Smoked Paprika
    • ➕ Optional Ingredients
    • 🥄 Instructions
    • 🥕 Sautéed Veggies
    • 📚 More Soup Recipes
    • Single Serving Chicken Noodle Soup

    🥣 How Much is One Serving?

    What would be considered a single serving of soup? If you are having it a a side dish it would be a cup. If it's the main course, I would double that up to 2 cups. The recipe in this post is meant for a hearty single serving of soup for one person.

    You can make it a soup for two if you are having it as an appetizer or a side to go with the rest of our meal.

    🛒 Ingredients

    Here is what we used to make this soup.

    • 1 cup leftover chicken cute into bite sized pieces
    • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
    • 1 carrots diced
    • 1 stalk celery diced
    • 3 teaspoons oil for sautéing (such as olive oil)
    • 2-3 ounces any dried pasta
    • koasher salt to taste
    • freshly cracked black pepper to taste
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika optional

    Choose whatever pasta or dried noodles you like for the soup. Wide egg noodles are a classic. The sky is the limit. The long curly pasta you see in the picture I get at Kroger.

    The chicken can be leftover from a whole chicken, chicken thighs, skinless chicken breasts, shredded chicken, etc.. Maybe leftover rotisserie chicken you picked up at the grocery store. Whatever leftover cooked chicken you have.

    I can't begin to tell you how good this soup would be with homemade chicken broth. You could always make a big batch of broth and then freeze it into portions by the cup, perfect for when you need to make a recipe like this one.

    A jar of Burlap & Barrel Smoked Pimenton Paprika from Extremadura, Spain o a piece of burlap.

    🌶️ Smoked Paprika

    To really make this soup delicious I add some smoked paprika. It dials the flavor up to 100!

    My favorite smoked paprika is the Smoked Pimenton Paprika from Burlap & Barrel. Seriously no smoked paprika is better than this one. Here is why:

    Our smoked paprika is sourced from a single family fabrica in Extremadura, a hot, dry region of western Spain. Many countries produce versions of smoked paprika, but only Extremadura has been granted the Designation of Protected Origin for the uniqueness and historical tradition of its pimentón de la vera.

    Sweet, locally-grown red pimentón peppers are slowly dried over oak coals, which imbue them with a rich, smoky flavor that imparts a savory depth and gorgeous color to any dish.

    https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/products/smoked-pimenton

    The paprika turns the broth a deeper reddish brown color. Doesn't that look good. It's the beautiful of how adding just one spice can make such a difference.

    ➕ Optional Ingredients

    Some other things you might want to add to your soup to make it amazing.

    • Chopped fresh parsley
    • Fresh dill
    • Any fresh herbs that you have
    • Dried herbs
    • Soy sauce
    • Garlic cloves
    • A splash of heavy cream for a creamy soup
    • A squeeze of lemon juice from a fresh lemon

    Just look at what you have in your fridge that you need to use up and would work in this recipe.

    Want to make a batch of chicken noodle in the Instant Pot? Check out our recipe.

    🥄 Instructions

    ⏲️ Cooking time - 20 minutes

    This soup can be made in about 15 to 20 minutes. The only prep work is dicing a single carrot and stalk of celery, along with cutting the chicken into bite sized pieces.

    I cook the pasta in a pot with enough broth to cover the pasta until al dente. The advantage of this is that the starch from the pasta will get into the broth making it a little thicker and way more ungious.

    Pasta covered with chicken broth for cooking
    Add enough broth or water to cover the pasta.

    Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Actually not much different than cooking a pack of Ramen, Just takes a little bit longer.

    Lid on pasta and simmer
    Cover the pat and reduce the heat to simmer until pasta is done. You don't want to lose too much for the liquid. You can add more if it gets too low though.

    🥕 Sautéed Veggies

    You could make it in a single pot, but I prefer to sauté the veggies in a pan while the pasta cooks. Yes, it dirtys another pot, but the flavor it will add to your soup is worth the effort.

    Diced carrots and celery in a frying pan
    Dice and saute your carrots and celery for maximum flavor.

    The reason for this that the carrots and celery get caramelized which makes them tasty. If you dice them small enough they will cook and be done right when the pasta is done, so it won't take any longer

    Sauteed carrots and celery in a frying pan
    Cook the veggies until they take on some color. They will be sweeter tasting.

    Cook the veggies over medium heat until they take on some color. Stir occassionally.

    📚 More Soup Recipes

    Here are our favorite soups on the blog

    • Potato Leek Soup with Bacon
    • Better than Campbell's Bean Soup
    • Asparagus Ends Soup
    • Turkey Orzo Soup

    Single Serving Chicken Noodle Soup

    Learn how to make a delicious chicken noodle soup using leftover chicken and whatever veggies and pasts you have on hand.
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Soup
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: chicken noodle, chicken,, single serving soup, single serving,
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 person
    Author: Eric Samuelson

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup leftover chicken cute into bite sized pieces
    • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
    • 1 carrots diced
    • 1 stalk celery diced
    • 3 tsp olive oil or another sauté oil
    • 2-3 ounces any dried pasta
    • koasher salt to taste
    • freshly cracked pepper to taste
    • ½ tsp smoked paprika optional

    Instructions

    • In a medium sauce pan, add you pasta. Add the chicken broth to cover. If it doesn't cover the pasta, add water or more chicken broth to just cover.
    • Bring to a boil, stir frequently.
    • In the meantime, add your diced carrots and diced celery along with a pinch of salt to a frying pan with the oil.
    • Saute the veggies until they are soften and taken on some brown color.
    • Once the pasta has come to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Stir and add a liquid.
    • Cook until the pasta is done to your liking and remove from the heat.
    • Add the chicken to the veggies. If using the paprika add now and mix to combine.
    • Add the chicken and veggies to the pasta and broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
    • Enjoy.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @eatlikenooneelse or tag #eatlikenooneelse
    « Buying Whole Cuts of Meat
    24 of The Best Alton Brown Recipes »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Polyester Ties

      May 20, 2010 at 8:07 pm

      What you've made with the leftover chicken is new to me, looks delicious though. I can ask my mom to try that recipe sometimes.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Nice to Meet You,

    Hi! I'm Eric : Father of 4, living just south of Ann Arbor, MI. I'm a reformed picky eater finding a new way to not conform. Eating what's in season is my jam (I also make it!)

    Categories

    Top Posts & Pages

    Creamy Caesar Pasta Salad with Crunchy Croutons
    Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
    How to Grill Pork Tenderloin So It's Always Juicy
    Asparagus Rice Pilaf in the Instant Pot

    Recent Posts

    • Creamy Caesar Pasta Salad with Crunchy Croutons
    • Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler
    • How to Grill Pork Tenderloin So It's Always Juicy
    • Asparagus Rice Pilaf in the Instant Pot
    • Elote Topped Hot Dogs

    Reduce Food Waste in Your House

    Copyright © 2025 Eat Like No One Else on the Foodie Pro Theme