Description
This wildly tasty soup comes together fast and disappears even faster. Tender chicken, smoky bacon, melty cheddar, a touch of ranch, and silky egg noodles all swim in a creamy, savory broth — ready in about 30 minutes and guaranteed to please the whole crew.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups cooked, shredded or diced chicken (rotisserie is a great shortcut)
- 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cheddar cheese soup (or “cheese soup”)
- 6 cups chicken stock (use low-sodium or no-salt if you prefer)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 (1 oz) packet ranch seasoning mix (or homemade equivalent)
- 1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped
- 1 cup sharp cheddar, shredded
- 8 oz dry fine egg noodles (uncooked)
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, combine the shredded chicken, condensed cheese soup, chicken stock, and milk. Whisk gently until the cheese soup has blended into the liquids.
- Add the diced celery, sliced carrots, ranch seasoning, and the chopped cooked bacon. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 20–25 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
- Stir in the dry egg noodles and the shredded cheddar. Continue simmering for approximately 5 more minutes, or until the noodles are cooked through and the cheese has melted into the soup.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (remember the bacon, cheese and ranch add salt). Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
Notes
- Time-saver: Use pre-cooked chicken from a store rotisserie or leftover roasted chicken.
- Avoid over-soggy noodles: If you plan to store leftovers, cook noodles separately and add them when reheating.
- Make it lighter: Swap the condensed cheese soup for a simple roux (butter + flour) and extra milk if you want a less processed base.