Canning chicken noodle soup at home is one of the most rewarding kitchen projects you can ever undertake because it allows you to capture the warm cozy comfort of fresh homemade soup inside convenient glass jars that sit right on your pantry shelf. Imagine coming home after a very long exhausting day when you are feeling too tired to cook a complex meal from scratch and all you have to do is reach into your cupboard to pop open a jar of rich flavorful broth packed with tender meat and wholesome garden vegetables. This classic recipe gives you complete control over every single natural ingredient that goes into your body so you never have to worry about unwanted chemical preservatives excess sodium artificial colorings or mystery meat chunks that are often hidden inside typical store bought canned soups. When you make your own home canned soup base you create a incredibly delicious shortcut for quick weeknight dinners that will warm up your family from the inside out while filling your kitchen with the mouthwatering aroma of slow cooked comfort food.
People absolutely love this soup because it offers an unmatched combination of rich flavor nostalgia and ultimate meal planning convenience that modern busy lifestyles desperately need. Food lovers everywhere agree that nothing compares to the deep savory goodness of a slow simmered broth made with real chicken vegetables and carefully balanced aromatic spices. Traditional canned soups from the supermarket often taste dull flat or metallic because they are mass produced using low quality shortcuts but this homemade version retains its vibrant natural tastes and wonderful textures. Busy parents home cooks and meal prep enthusiasts adore having a batch of this comforting food stocked on their pantry shelves because it transforms busy weeknights into stress free dining experiences. Knowing that you have nutritious whole foods safely preserved without artificial junk gives you immense peace of mind while making healthy eating effortless for everyone at your dinner table.
There are so many wonderful life moments and practical situations where having jars of home canned chicken soup base ready to go feels like an absolute lifesaver. During cold winter months when chilly weather settles outside or when seasonal flu bugs travel through your household a hot steaming bowl of savory soup acts like a comforting hug for your soul and a soothing remedy for a sore throat. Fitness enthusiasts and health conscious eaters love this recipe because it provides clean protein hearty energy and hydrating electrolytes without any heavy unwanted fats or sneaky processed ingredients. It is also the ultimate quick lunch option for busy work days when you need something quick nourishing and filling without resorting to fast food or expensive takeout orders. Whether you are stocking your emergency food supply building up a homestead pantry or simply looking to save valuable time and money during the hectic workweek this recipe delivers pure joy and delicious satisfaction in every single spoonful.
Preserving this comforting favorite safely requires following proper pressure canning methods because meat and vegetables are low acid foods that must be processed at high temperatures to ensure complete food safety. It is very important for beginner home canners to know that pasta and egg noodles should never be added directly into the jar during the canning process because they become extremely mushy and can prevent heat from circulating safely through the jar. Instead you will be canning a rich delicious soup base full of tender chicken crisp carrots crunchy celery and sweet onions that is completely ready to be combined with freshly boiled noodles right when you heat it up for serving. This easy smart method ensures that your chicken noodle soup turns out perfectly fresh with tender bouncy noodles every single time you open a brand new jar. Let us dive into everything you need to know to create this delightful home canned classic from scratch.
Ingredients You Will Need
To prepare a large batch of homemade chicken noodle soup base for canning you will need the following simple and wholesome ingredients gathered together:
- 8 cups of cooked chicken meat chopped into bite sized pieces or shredded gently
- 12 cups of high quality chicken broth or homemade bone broth
- 4 cups of fresh carrots peeled and sliced into thick rounds
- 3 cups of fresh celery stalks washed and chopped into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups of yellow onions peeled and diced into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons of sea salt or canning salt adjusted to your personal taste
- 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon of dried parsley flakes
- 2 whole bay leaves to simmer in the pot before filling jars
- 4 cups of egg noodles cooked separately in boiling water right before serving time
Step by Step Method
Step 1 Prepare Your Kitchen Space and Canning Equipment
Start by organizing your workspace so everything flows smoothly and safely throughout the canning process. Wash your pressure canner pint or quart sized glass canning jars new metal lids and screw bands thoroughly in warm soapy water and rinse them completely clean. Place the clean jars inside your pressure canner or a large pot filled with hot water to keep them warm while you prepare the soup mixture. Warm jars are essential because pouring hot soup into cold glass jars can cause the glass to crack or break from thermal shock. Make sure your pressure canner rack is placed at the bottom of the canner along with three quarts of water or the exact amount recommended by your specific pressure canner manual.
Step 2 Cook and Shred Your Fresh Chicken
If you do not already have pre cooked chicken available you can easily prepare it by boiling or roasting fresh chicken breasts or chicken thighs until they are fully cooked through to a safe internal temperature. Allow the cooked chicken to cool down enough so you can handle it comfortably without burning your hands. Carefully strip the meat away from any bones skin or heavy fat pieces and cut or shred the meat into bite sized chunks. Using a mix of dark and white meat can yield incredible flavor and juicy texture but using pure chicken breast works wonderfully well too if you prefer a leaner soup option. Set your prepared cooked chicken aside while you chop your fresh garden vegetables.
Step 3 Wash Chop and Prepare Your Vegetables
Take your fresh carrots celery and yellow onions and wash them under clean running water to remove any dirt or debris. Peel the skin off the carrots using a vegetable peeler and slice them into thick uniform coin rounds so they hold their shape well during high temperature pressure canning. Slice the fresh celery into clean bite sized pieces and chop the yellow onions into small neat dices. Keeping your vegetable pieces relatively uniform in size helps ensure that everything cooks evenly and looks beautiful inside the glass jars once preserved.
Step 4 Combine the Soup Base Ingredients in a Stockpot
In a very large stockpot combine your chicken broth diced cooked chicken sliced carrots chopped celery diced onions sea salt black pepper dried thyme dried parsley and whole bay leaves. Place the stockpot over medium high heat on your stove top and bring the entire mixture up to a rolling boil. Once the soup reaches a boil reduce the heat down to medium low and let it simmer gently for about 5 minutes. This brief cooking time heats all the ingredients thoroughly so they enter the canning jars piping hot which is vital for proper heat distribution during processing. Remove and discard the whole bay leaves before you start filling your jars.
Step 5 Pack the Hot Soup Into Warm Jars
Carefully remove your preheated glass jars from the hot water using a sturdy jar lifter tool and place them on a clean kitchen towel laid flat on your counter. Place a wide mouth canning funnel into the top of the first jar to keep the rim completely clean. Use a slotted spoon to transfer a balanced mix of chicken and vegetables into the jar until it is about half full of solid ingredients. Next use a deep ladle to pour the boiling hot chicken broth over the solids leaving exactly one inch of space at the top of the jar. This one inch gap is called headspace and it is extremely critical for allowing the liquid to expand safely as it processes under high pressure.
Step 6 Remove Air Bubbles and Clean Jar Rims
Insert a non metallic bubble remover tool or a thin plastic spatula down into the inside sides of the jar to gently release any trapped air bubbles hidden among the meat and vegetables. After removing the air bubbles check the top liquid level and add a tiny bit more hot broth if needed to maintain that exact one inch headspace. Take a clean damp paper towel and wipe the top glass rim of every single jar thoroughly to remove any tiny food bits grease or liquid residue that could prevent the rubber gasket on the lid from sealing tightly. Center a fresh clean lid onto the jar rim and screw the metal band down gently until it is fingertip tight without overtightening it.
Step 7 Process the Soup inside the Pressure Canner
Carefully place your filled hot jars into the pressure canner using your jar lifter keeping them upright at all times. Lock the canner lid securely into place according to your manufacturer instructions but leave the vent pipe open without the weighted gauge attached yet. Turn your stove burner to high heat and allow steam to vent continuously out of the pipe for a full 10 minutes to purge all extra air from inside the canner. After 10 minutes of steady venting place your pressure gauge or weight onto the vent pipe and let the pressure build up naturally. Process pint jars for 60 minutes or quart jars for 75 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure if using a weighted gauge or 11 pounds of pressure if using a dial gauge adjusting higher if you live at an altitude above 1000 feet.
Step 8 Cool down and Check Safety Seals
When your processing timer finishes completely turn off the heat source and allow the pressure canner to cool down naturally all by itself without trying to force it. Never rush the cooling process by applying ice or lifting the pressure regulator early because sudden pressure changes will force soup liquid out of the jars and cause seal failures. Once the pressure gauge reads zero and the safety lock drops down carefully remove the weighted gauge wait five minutes then open the canner lid away from your face to avoid steam burns. Use your jar lifter to remove the hot jars carefully placing them onto a towel lined counter leaving space between them. Let the jars sit undisturbed for 24 hours to cool completely during which you will hear satisfying popping sounds indicating that the vacuum seals have formed securely. Test the seals after 24 hours by pressing the center of each lid which should feel firm and completely flat without flexing up or down.
Step 9 Serve and Enjoy with Fresh Noodles
When you are ready to enjoy a hot nourishing meal open a jar of your preserved soup base and pour the contents into a saucepan placed over medium heat. Bring the soup up to a gentle boil on your stove top. In a separate pot cook your favorite egg noodles or pasta shapes in boiling salted water until they are tender then drain them thoroughly. Divide the fresh cooked noodles into individual serving bowls and ladle the steaming hot chicken soup right over the top. Stir gently garnish with fresh herbs if desired and enjoy your delicious piping hot chicken noodle soup made completely from scratch.
Why This Recipe Is Special
This home canned chicken soup base recipe stands out as a true staple for any domestic kitchen because it bridges the gap between old fashioned homemade flavor and convenient fast food lifestyle. By taking full control over the preparation you ensure that every single bowl is loaded with real wholesome ingredients like fresh vegetables rich broth and quality lean meat instead of artificial fillers heavy oil starches or chemically synthesized flavor enhancers. The long cooking process allows the gentle savory notes of thyme black pepper and aromatic vegetables to meld deeply into the broth giving it an unbelievably rich home cooked depth that instantly satisfies the palate.
From a wellness and nutritional standpoint this soup is an absolute powerhouse of natural comfort and body nourishing benefits. Chicken broth provides essential hydrating fluids collagen and important minerals that help soothe digestion support joint wellness and aid rapid body recovery during stressful days or seasonal illnesses. The colorful combination of fresh carrots celery and sweet onions delivers natural plant nutrients antioxidant compounds and healthy dietary fiber that support overall daily health and vitality. Because you control the exact amount of salt added to the recipe you can easily tailor this soup base to fit low sodium dietary requirements without ever sacrificing the rich robust flavor profile that makes chicken soup such an enduring classic.
Another amazing aspect that makes this recipe exceptionally special is its ultimate practical convenience for busy household meal management. Having shelf stable jars of homemade soup base ready in your pantry means you are always just minutes away from serving a complete satisfying meal even during unexpected schedule crunches or emergency power outages. Unlike frozen meal preparation that requires hours of tedious thawing space inside crowded freezer compartments home canned jars sit neatly on ambient pantry shelves for months while retaining peak quality flavor and nutrition. It is the perfect blend of traditional self reliance practical time saving efficiency and wholesome home cooked goodness.
Extra Tips for Better Taste
To elevate the overall flavor profile of your homemade chicken soup base consider using a combination of roasted chicken bones and fresh meat to create your liquid stock from scratch. Roasting chicken bones in the oven until they turn rich golden brown before simmering them with water creates a far deeper caramel savory note that serves as an unbelievable foundation for the entire recipe. You can also add fresh garlic clove slices or subtle herbal accents like rosemary marjoram or bay leaves during the initial simmer phase to build complex layers of aroma that will make your kitchen smell absolutely heavenly.
When choosing vegetables for this recipe select firm crisp fresh produce rather than soft overripe items to help the pieces maintain nice texture throughout the high heat pressure canning cycle. Cutting your carrots into slightly larger coin rounds or thick half moon shapes prevents them from getting overly soft during the pressure process. If you enjoy a tiny bit of subtle bright contrast try squeezing a tiny splash of fresh lemon juice or adding chopped fresh parsley directly into your serving bowl right before eating as this brightens up the rich savory broth wonderfully.
Always remember that noodles rice or other starches must be kept completely separate until the day you serve the meal. Cooking your egg noodles fresh right when you are heating up the soup base prevents the pasta from absorbing all the liquid broth and turning into mushy paste inside the stored jar. For an extra special presentation and fun bite texture try using wide egg noodles spiral pasta shapes or even whole grain pasta varieties cooked just to an al dente firmness before combining them with the steaming hot broth.
Final Thoughts
Canning your own chicken noodle soup base at home is a truly rewarding endeavor that combines traditional culinary wisdom with incredible everyday meal convenience. By dedicating just a little bit of time in your kitchen to prepare a batch of high quality soup base you unlock the wonderful ability to serve wholesome hearty and comforting meals to your family at a moment notice. Every sparkling jar on your pantry shelf represents pure love clean nutrition and cozy flavor waiting to bring warmth and joy to your dinner table whenever you need it most. Embrace the fun process master the safety steps and enjoy the rich delicious benefits of your very own homemade canned creation for months to come.
Nutrition Details
Below is an estimated nutrition breakdown for a standard serving size of this home canned soup base prepared with cooked egg noodles added at serving time. Please note that exact values can fluctuate depending on the specific chicken cuts skin removal and precise brands of broth used.
| Nutrient Category | Amount Per Serving | Daily Value Percentage |
| Serving Size | 1.5 Cups cooked | N/A |
| Total Calories | 240 Calories | 12 Percent |
| Total Fat | 6 Grams | 8 Percent |
| Saturated Fat | 1.5 Grams | 8 Percent |
| Trans Fat | 0 Grams | 0 Percent |
| Cholesterol | 65 Milligrams | 22 Percent |
| Sodium | 480 Milligrams | 21 Percent |
| Total Carbohydrate | 22 Grams | 8 Percent |
| Dietary Fiber | 2 Grams | 7 Percent |
| Total Sugars | 3 Grams | N/A |
| Protein | 24 Grams | 48 Percent |
| Vitamin D | 0.2 Micrograms | 1 Percent |
| Calcium | 35 Milligrams | 3 Percent |
| Iron | 2.1 Milligrams | 12 Percent |
| Potassium | 410 Milligrams | 9 Percent |
Disclaimer
This article is provided purely for educational informational and culinary inspiration purposes only. Every individual body is unique with different health profiles dietary restrictions and nutritional requirements meaning individual health responses to specific foods or recipes will naturally vary from person to person. When engaging in home food preservation like pressure canning always ensure you follow tested safe food handling guidelines provided by official agricultural extension authorities to ensure complete home safety. If you have specific dietary concerns high blood pressure food allergies or underlying health conditions consult with a qualified medical professional or certified nutritionist before making significant changes to your regular meal routine.