This Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup is the perfect twist on chicken noodle when you're craving something delicious, and nutritious with a kick of heat! It's packed with vegetables and flavor, and you can adjust the heat level to suit your preference.

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Whether you're feeling a bit under the weather, or you just need something warm and comforting when it's cold outside, this recipe is a great one to have in your back pocket.
Make a big batch! It's hearty, filling, and full of veggies!
We absolutely LOVE soup in our house, it's probably our favorite food. If you're looking for a new soup recipe, make sure to try this chicken bacon and potato soup, this creamy Finnish salmon soup, or this ham collard greens and beans soup!
You may also love this buffalo chicken chili!
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❤️Why We Love This Recipe
- Made with simple ingredients and lots of vegetables! Load this soup up with classic chicken noodle ingredients, plus a few extras that make good use of the vegetables that have been hanging out in the back of the fridge.
- Filling and comforting. This recipe is very comforting, just like the classic, but with a kick. It's full of protein and fiber from all the veggies to keep you fueled and satisfied.
- Adjustable heat level. You can make this soup as spicy as you'd like. Leave out the jalapeno seeds and some of the hot sauce in the big pot of soup, so that everyone can add hot sauce to taste in their own bowls.
🧄Ingredients
Here are the ingredients we used for this recipe. You can find more information for substitutions below.
- Chicken. We prefer to season and cook our own chicken for this soup for the most flavor, however, you can definitely use pre-cooked chicken like rotisserie if you'd like. For this recipe, we used chicken thighs, but chicken breasts would also be great.
- Butter. We tend to recommend using unsalted butter for most of our recipes so that we have more control over the salt level in all of our dishes. You can use salted though, you may just want to add more salt.
- Oil. Any neutral oil good for searing the chicken will work.
- Jalapenos. You can leave the seeds in for a spicier soup, or omit them for less spice.
- Bell peppers. Any colors you like.
- Onions and shallots. You can use either or, but we love using a mixture of both for lots of flavor.
- Parsley. We separate the leaves and the stems. We recently found out just how delicious the stems of parsley are, (they taste similar to celery!) and they are great cooked. We don't quite like them raw, but there's definitely no reason to toss them, they add a ton of flavor to the soup! Separate the stems from the leaves, and use both at different times!
- Lemon. Use an organic lemon if possible, since we will use the zest.
- Noodles. We chose a Klutski-style egg noodle for this, but you can of course use whatever noodle you prefer.
- Kosher salt. To taste. We recommend adding salt slowly and to taste. The hot sauce type and the amount you use can greatly impact the salt level of the soup. Chicken broth can also have salt added, so keep this in mind.
- Chicken broth. Ideally, look for one with low-sodium or no salt added!
- Thyme & bay leaves. Optional, but they add depth of flavor.
- Hot sauce. We used a mildly spicy, habanero-style hot sauce by Tabanero. You can use any hot sauce of your choosing for this, but keep in mind that we chose this hot sauce to complement the flavors of the dish. It includes red habanero peppers, carrots, onions, garlic, key lime juice, and agave nectar that give the sauce a lot of complex flavor and a hint of sweetness.
Visit the recipe card for the full quantities and nutritional information.
✨Substitutions & Variations
- Creamy. Stir in some half-and-half or cream a few minutes before serving for a creamy and spicy chicken noodle.
- Gluten-free. Simply make sure that your noodles and hot sauce are gluten-free. Everything else in this recipe is naturally gluten-free.
- Add different forms of spice. You can add red pepper flakes, cayenne, and more or less jalapenos or hot sauce to make this soup your own.
- More veggies. Take some inspiration from our bright and vibrant vegetable soup (that happens to be a bit on the spicy side!) and add in as many vegetables as you'd like.
- More protein. Swap the regular chicken broth or stock for chicken bone broth for even more protein.
This recipe hasn't been tested with any other substitutions or variations, so we can't guarantee any results. If you make a change, let us know how it goes in the comments below!
🔪Prep Work
- Dice onions, shallots, bell peppers, and the
- Cut carrots and celery into thin strips.
- Mince the garlic and parsley stems (optional, if using), separate the parsley leaves, and mince those as well.
- Zest the lemon.
- Preheat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- Measure out the remaining ingredients.
Instructions
Brown chicken
Season chicken well on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill. Brown the chicken on both sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, and set aside when finished.
Pro Tip
The chicken will not be cooked through, it will continue to cook in the broth. We're just getting some color on it to start for more flavor.
Saute onions & shallots
Reduce the heat to medium, and add in the butter, followed by the onions and shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until beginning to soften.
Add remaining veggies
Add the bell peppers, carrots, celery, and jalapenos with more salt, and continue cooking to soften a bit.
Add garlic, herbs & spices
Next, add garlic, lemon zest, optional parsley stems, fresh thyme, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Saute, stirring often to prevent burning or sticking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add broth & chicken
Add in chicken broth, along with some of the hot sauce, more salt and pepper, the bay leaves, and the chicken back to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, while the soup simmers, prepare your noodles of choice in a separate pot to avoid them becoming too soggy.
Remove cooked chicken
After simmering for a while, remove the cooked chicken from the pot and discard the bay leaves.
Shred chicken
Shred the chicken with two forks or your preferred method.
Add the chicken back to the soup
Add the chicken back to the soup pot and stir to combine. Add fresh lemon juice and minced parsley leaves. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Add the noodles
Add noodles to each bowl, and top with the soup. Garnish with more lemons, parsley, and hot sauce to taste. Enjoy!
Storage
Fridge Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If possible, store the noodles separately from the soup to prevent them from getting too soggy during storage. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Freezing leftovers
This soup freezes really well if stored WITHOUT the noodles. Allow the soup to cool down completely and store in an airtight, freezer-safe container for up to 1 year. Thaw in the fridge overnight, and add freshly cooked noodles to the soup when time to serve.
Make Ahead Tips
If making this soup in advance, simply prepare everything up until the step right before adding the noodles. Add fresh noodles right before serving.
Expert Tips
- Brown the chicken. Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through, it will continue cooking in the broth. Browning adds a lot of flavor to the soup.
- Cook the vegetables for a few minutes. This also ensures lots of flavor in this recipe, so don't skip it!
- Add salt slowly and to taste. Add a bit of salt at each stage of the cooking process to ensure your final dish is well-seasoned, but keep in mind that chicken broth and hot sauce can have salt of their own, so you don't want to end up with a final product that is too salty.
- Add hot sauce in stages too. For the hot sauce, start with less, you can always add more later.
- Cook noodles separately. This ensures that they don't end up soggy, helping you keep leftovers better!
💬Common Questions
If you accidentally added in a little too much hot sauce and the soup is now too hot for your tastes, there are a few things you can do to save it!
1. Try adding water or broth to dilute it.
2. Add some sugar or honey (about a tablespoon at a time) and stir to dissolve. This will balance the heat!
3. Add acid. More lemon juice can help tame the heat.
4. Add something creamy. Dairy or anything creamy will certainly tame the spice, but now you've made a bit of a different soup. That's okay! It will still taste good!
Yes, you can certainly do this, but keep in mind, that your noodles have a higher chance of becoming soggy.
🌶️More Recipes To Try
Looking for a new recipe with a little heat and flavor recipe? Try one of these!
🍴Pairing
Here are a few suggested side dishes to serve with this spicy chicken noodle:
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📖 Recipe
Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- dutch oven or stock pot
Ingredients
Chicken
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Soup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion or 2 small, diced
- 2 small shallots diced
- 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt to taste
- 2 large bell peppers red and yellow, or whatever color, diced
- 2 large jalapenos seeds removed if desired for less spice, diced
- 3 stalks celery sliced thin
- 3 large carrots sliced into rounds
- 14 cloves garlic minced, to taste use as much or as little as you want
- ¼ cup parsley stems minced (optional)
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- 10- 12 cups unsalted or low sodium chicken broth as needed to thin
- 1-2 bay leaves
- ½-1 cup hot sauce of choice to taste
- 8 ounces cooked egg noodles or noodles of choice
- ¼-1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves minced
- Juice of ½ - 1 lemon to taste
Instructions
Chicken
- Preheat a large Dutch oven or stockpot over medium-high heat. Season chicken well on all sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill. Brown the chicken on both sides in hot oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the pot, and set aside when finished. No need to cook the chicken through, this will happen later.2.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried dill, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons oil
Soup
- Reduce the heat to medium, and add in the butter, followed by the onions and shallots with a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes until beginning to soften.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 large yellow onion, 2 small shallots, 2-3 teaspoons kosher salt
- Add the bell peppers, carrots, celery, and jalapenos with more salt, and continue cooking to soften a bit.2 large bell peppers, 2 large jalapenos, 3 stalks celery, 3 large carrots
- Next, add garlic, lemon zest, optional parsley stems, fresh thyme, dried oregano, and smoked paprika. Saute, stirring often to prevent burning or sticking until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.14 cloves garlic, ¼ cup parsley stems, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, Zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
- Add in chicken broth, along with some of the hot sauce, more salt and pepper, the bay leaves, and the chicken back to the pot. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 15-20 minutes.10- 12 cups unsalted or low sodium chicken broth, 1-2 bay leaves, ½-1 cup hot sauce of choice
- Meanwhile, while the soup simmers, prepare your noodles of choice in a separate pot to avoid them becoming too soggy.8 ounces cooked egg noodles
- After simmering for a while, remove the cooked chicken from the pot and discard the bay leaves. Shred the chicken with two forks or via your preferred.
- Add the chicken back to the soup pot and stir to combine. Add fresh lemon juice and minced parsley leaves. Adjust seasonings to taste.¼-1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, Juice of ½ - 1 lemon
- Add noodles to each bowl, and top with the soup. Garnish with more lemons, parsley, and hot sauce to taste. Enjoy!
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If possible, store the noodles separately from the soup to prevent them from getting too soggy during storage. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
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Notes
-
- Brown the chicken. Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through, it will continue cooking in the broth. Browning adds a lot of flavor to the soup.
-
- Cook the vegetables for a few minutes. This also ensures lots of flavor in this recipe, so don't skip it!
-
- Add salt slowly and to taste. Add a bit of salt at each stage of the cooking process to ensure your final dish is well-seasoned, but keep in mind that chicken broth and hot sauce can have salt of their own, so you don't want to end up with a final product that is too salty.
-
- Add hot sauce in stages too. For the hot sauce, start with less, you can always add more later.
-
- Cook noodles separately. This ensures that they don't end up soggy, helping you keep leftovers better!
Briana says
This one is so full of flavor! Super delicious, full of veggies, and very filling.