How To Easily Add Homemade Flavor To Canned Chicken Noodle Soup

Canned chicken noodle soup is great when you need a quick meal that's filling and nutritious. However, it's still a far cry from the homemade variety. Although the broth is tasty, the chicken itself can be meager, leaving you with more noodles and liquid than chunks of meat. Plus, the small cubes of chicken that you'll usually find in these canned soups are often lacking in flavor and have a drier texture than chicken you'd cook on your own.

Just because this is the case, however, doesn't mean you have to settle and confine yourself to what comes in the can. Instead, why not elevate your chicken soup by stirring in some of your own cooked chicken? Doing so can give your soup an extra kick of protein, making every spoonful heartier. Plus, unlike the chicken that comes in store-bought soup, freshly cooked chicken has a juicier bite and stronger flavor. The result is a soup that tastes just a little more homemade, even though it still came from a can.

The first thing to think about as you stir your extra protein into your canned soup is exactly what kind of chicken you'll use. You can cook up some chicken breast, or this could be a good time to use up the rest of a rotisserie chicken sitting in your fridge. In fact, the broth can reheat chicken without drying it out, making this a great way to keep your leftovers moist and tasty — and enjoy fresh flavor without the hassle of cooking.

Whichever you pick, one thing to note is that it's best not to use breaded chicken. The breading can start to disintegrate in the soup, leaving you with mushy chunks throughout. Similarly, if you use chicken that has the skin on, you may want to take this off before adding the protein to the soup — otherwise the pieces could get soggy and lend an oily consistency to the broth.

Additionally, don't forget that you'll need to cut, chop, or shred the chicken you choose. The goal is to create bite-sized chunks that are easy to scoop up alongside the noodles and veggies in your meal, so you get a balanced spoonful.

Adding cooked chicken to your soup isn't the only way to bulk it up and improve the flavor. You can also try stirring in some other additions. A similar option is to mix in some extra vegetables. Remember, heating up canned soup means you don't cook the broth as long as you would if you were making it from scratch. So, you'll want your veggies to already be cooked to ensure they don't wind up crunchy and raw in your bowl. This is a great way to use up your leftovers, such as steamed broccoli or grilled carrots.

Besides adding vegetables to your soup, another option is to play around with stirring in herbs and spices. If you love food with some zing to it, drizzling in some hot sauce can be a great way to bring on the heat and give your soup an extra edge. Or, mix in some parsley, dill, or other fresh herbs to lend different tasting notes to your meal. With these tips, you should have no problem making canned soup that's packed with homemade flavor — all without having to go through the extra effort of actually making your meal from scratch.