15 Store-Bought Chicken Noodle Soups, Ranked

If you've got a hankering for chicken noodle soup and homemade isn't an option, you'll find plenty of options at the grocery store. In fact, the number of chicken noodle soup varieties is staggering, and almost overwhelming. It seems every company has a hand in the pot, from time-honored brands of yesteryear to companies better known for other foodstuffs (think San Marzano tomatoes and Mexican taco kits). Of course, chicken noodle is among the most purchased soups in the U.S., so it's no surprise everyone wants skin in the game.

Now, it can be tempting to stick with brands you know when it comes to soup. It's easier to buy the same chicken noodle product you've been eating since you were a kid, after all. But whether you find your favorite soup particularly delicious or are afraid of the unknown, you could be missing out, as there are some delectable options only a spoonful away.

Since I've eaten my fair share of chicken noodle soup in over 25 years as a food writer, I decided to try — then rank — 15 popular options available at the store. I judged each soup based on flavor, quality of the ingredients, and overall consistency. I also aimed to answer certain questions, like was a product akin to homemade chicken noodle soup, or was it crammed with meat, noodles, and vegetables? With that in mind, keep reading to see the winners and losers among these store-bought chicken noodle soups.

Something had to come in last, and Health Valley's organic chicken noodle soup was the worst because it has virtually no flavor. It's more like under-seasoned chicken broth than chicken noodle soup. There's a paltry amount of dark meat chicken, which I assume is leg meat because there's a picture of a chicken leg on the can. Of course, even if you like dark meat, you won't get much chicken in this soup.

While I like that this is organic, you can't detect any of the organic ingredients listed on the label; there's no discernible onion or garlic, for instance. Even if I appreciate this being labeled low sodium (which is appealing for those cutting back on salt), this soup also needs a flavor boost. In short, this store-bought chicken noodle soup came in last because it tastes like something you'd eat on a calorie-restricted diet.

I had high hopes for Wild Harvest organic chicken noodle soup, particularly after when I poured the soup into a bowl. While I noticed meaty noodles and sizable chunks of carrots, my optimism concluded there. There were some tiny pieces of chicken, but not enough to be substantial. Plus, the chicken is mechanically deboned, meaning it's forced through a high-powered sieve to separate the edible meat from the inedible bone. The result is a pasty, batter-like product that doesn't resemble real chicken at all.

The broth is under-seasoned, as well. The label says it contains organic spices and parsley flakes, but I didn't detect them. I did notice a weird aftertaste, which I figured might be the pear juice concentrate that's added. There's also some canola oil, which makes the soup feel greasy on the palate. With a lack of flavor, weird aftertaste, and chicken with an odd texture, this came in second-to-last place for a reason.

My initial thought when pouring Cento's Italian style chicken noodle soup into a bowl was that it resembled cat food. Then again, while shredded chicken might be considered Italian style, take note: By shredded, I'm not talking about rotisserie chicken that's been separated with a fork. The chicken in this soup is tattered and ragged, like it's been through hell. I assume it contains both white and dark meat chicken, too, because that's what it tastes like. The label simply says "cooked chicken," but the pieces are too small to determine which part of the chicken they're from.

Since this has more flavor than the two lowest-ranked chicken noodle soups, it places ahead of them. You can detect onion, chives, and Romano cheese, which is nice. Still, there are much better options than this soup, which also has MSG (or monosodium glutamate), so it comes near the bottom.

When I took my first spoonful of Annie's organic chicken noodle soup, I thought it tasted fine. Of course, fine isn't good enough — we're seeking soup with great flavor and texture, after all — and this Annie's option falls short because it's a bit bland and watery. While it ranked higher than the previous soups because the broth is seasoned with onion, garlic, rosemary, and thyme (yielding great flavor), there just wasn't enough seasoning overall.

The chicken meat was flavorful, and there were whole chunks (unlike the shreds in the previous soups). But it still had an odd texture. The label says the chicken is made from chicken meat, water, the binder tapioca starch, and sea salt, which may be why the texture seemed more molded and pressed than natural. There was something about this soup that reminded me of baby food, as well, and I had interest in having seconds.

With a name like Zoup, I had high hopes for Zoup's chicken noodle soup. The ingredient list was promising, too — chicken bone broth, chicken raised without antibiotics, vegetables, and seasonings. Problem is, I felt this soup is too meaty. I suppose starting with chicken bone broth will do that, but this soup is almost gamey and somewhat greasy, hurting its ranking.

Additionally, this is short on egg noodles and vegetables — there were barely any carrots, and those that were present were crushed — and the ratio of chicken to everything else was off. Plus, the chicken meat is very finely shredded, and almost wispy. As for the broth, I didn't find it as flavorful as the higher-ranked soups, meaning it couldn't make the top ten. The bone broth simply tasted like chicken bones, in fact, and it wasn't seasoned with enough herbs and spices — with the possible exception of garlic (as a distinct taste of garlic lingered long after sampling).

The image on the front of Healthy Choice chicken noodle soup is slightly misleading. The picture shows a heaping spoonful of chicken, carrots, and fresh-looking celery. Yet what I found inside was watery broth and mushy vegetables  which wasn't what I want from a store-bought chicken noodle soup.

I did like the fact that there were good-sized pieces of white meat chicken and rib meat (especially when compared to the shredded meat and mechanically deboned chicken in the previous brands), but there weren't many pieces of chicken overall. I also wanted more twisty noodles, less broth, and vegetables that didn't fall apart when I stirred the soup. Now, this soup ranks higher than the previous soups because it had good flavor, with a nicely seasoned broth, it also wasn't very great. It was better than fine, I'd say, but it wasn't memorable enough to rank higher than tenth place.

Walmart's Great Value homestyle chicken noodle soup placed higher than the lower-ranked entries for one reason: The broth is delicious. You can clearly taste onion, garlic, parsley, and celery. Plus, there were plenty of cut spaghetti noodles, so each spoonful was overflowing with pasta. I found myself slurping up the broth to get every last drop.

Unfortunately, this soup lost points in the rankings because my can only contained two carrots and three pieces of white meat chicken. In other words, it was more akin to noodle soup rather than chicken noodle soup. This soup is also condensed, and the label instructs you to add one whole can of water to reconstitute it. I felt the extra 10.75 ounces of water was excessive, making the soup watery (though you can simply add less water to fix that). Overall, while the flavor was nice and the noodles were aplenty, the lack of chicken and vegetables kept it from rising.

Panera's chicken noodle soup is the only soup on this list sold in the refrigerated section. For that reason, I thought it would rank in the top five, but it sadly did not. Panera's broth is nicely seasoned with parsley, thyme, onion, and garlic (and some proprietary seasonings we can't know about). It tastes like homemade chicken stock, in fact — like something your mom or grandma would make. I also enjoyed a few sizable chunks of chicken, whole carrot slices, and some curly egg noodles. However, this soup lost points for two reasons.

First, there were only about three whole pieces of chicken in the entire soup, with the rest being shredded (like it had been through a blender). Second, the noodles were sparse, with many of them falling apart. It was like someone took the soup container and shook it until the chicken and noodles were pulverized. Consequently, Panera's chicken noodle soup ranks higher than the previous soups, but the texture kept it from moving up in the ranks.

Pacific is a solid brand (I love its other soups), so I expected the organic chicken noodle soup to rank in the top five. Unfortunately, it couldn't compete with the winners in the category. I found the soup a smidge under seasoned, and even a tad watery. The broth had decent flavor, but it was simply too thin for my tastes (if you prefer liquid-y soups, you might love this one).

Still, Pacific came in seventh place because the ingredient list is simple and wholesome, and the overall flavor and texture is enjoyable. There's enough chicken, a decent amount of egg noodles, and plenty of carrots and celery. I also like that Pacific added green peas, which bring heft, sweetness, and color. If you're looking for a tasty organic chicken noodle soup with a short ingredient list, this is a good choice. It's not as flavorful as the higher-ranked soups, but still a decent option.

I was a bit surprised by how much I enjoyed Bowl & Basket's chicken noodle soup, and I say that with the utmost respect. I simply didn't expect a store brand to deliver such great flavor and texture. This soup boasts a thick and flavorful broth, big chunks of chicken, tons of meaty egg noodles, and whole slices of carrots and celery. The broth is scented with onions and garlic, both of which add delightful aromatic notes. You'll also find dehydrated parsley and chives in this soup; the parsley adds floral, peppery notes, and the chives taste grassy and fresh, with a mild onion flavor.

Since I was truly pleased with the heartiness of this soup, it was hard to deduct points. Unfortunately, this soup fell short because it simply wasn't robust enough — and that's only when compared to the top-ranked store-bought chicken noodle soups. The broth was delicious, after all, and the noodles, chicken, and vegetables were abundant. This soup was fabulous, just not as good as the top five entries.

If you like your soups a little fiery, you'll love Old El Paso's jalapeño chicken noodle soup. The chicken broth is spiked with onion, garlic, parsley, seasonings, and jalapeño juice — a lively addition that gives the soup a little kick. The soup is also crammed with curly pasta, moist chicken, whole carrot slices, and little bits of diced jalapeño, with the type of chile pepper adding a little heat. The soup isn't overly spicy, though, and I think the jalapeños elevated the flavors of the other ingredients.

I greatly enjoyed the thickness of the broth, as well, which is creamy (without cream) and nicely seasoned. The thickness of the broth likely comes from carrot puree listed on the label, rather than a flour or cornstarch thickener (as used by some other brands). There's also a touch of tomato puree, which adds a subtle sweetness and balances the heat from the jalapeños.

Frankly, this was one of my favorite soups. The only reason it didn't best the top four entries is because the spice level might not be suitable for everyone, so it comes in fifth.

I realize there's no chicken in Amy's organic no chicken noodle soup, but I wanted to share an option for those looking for a plant-based version. Of course, this soup came in fourth place for a reason: It's downright delicious.

The thick broth is incredibly flavorful, and seasoned with organic onions, carrots, celery, leeks, and spices. There's also some soy protein, which gives off an umami, miso soup vibe. Instead of chicken, you'll find pieces of tasty tofu, which provide a similar mouthfeel. I mean, you won't think it's actual chicken, but the tofu is an excellent replacement.

I also loved the ultra-flavorful spaghetti noodles, and mainly wished there were more of them. If you're looking for a vegan, non-GMO alternative to chicken noodle soup, this fits the bill. And if this were a ranking of plant-based soups, Amy's no chicken noodle soup would certainly land in the top two.

Rao's chicken noodle soup easily made it to the top three. The label says the soup is "slow simmered" and it's apparent that this is the case. The broth is thick, herby, and crammed with flavor. When I first opened the bottle, I detected clear notes of grassy olive oil and fresh herbs. One spoonful in, and I was racing to the bottle to figure out what reminded me of marinated artichoke hearts. Again, it was the olive oil and herbs, plus some nutty parmesan cheese.

The savory broth is brimming with curly noodles, chicken, and carrots, with little bits of onion and celery sprinkled in. The marriage of chicken, veggies, and pasta in a parmesan-spiked broth is simply dreamy. My only negative is that the chicken pieces were too small, and a winning soup should have heartier chunks of chicken (at least in my opinion). With that in mind, the top two soup options are simply better overall, so this earned third place.

Progresso doesn't even have to try — the company just makes great soup. I chose the chicken and homestyle noodles since it was similar to the other brands, but it blew most of them away in terms of taste and texture.

From the minute I popped the lid, I could tell this soup was different. There was an instant waft of high-quality chicken broth and aromatic herbs. As I poured the soup from the can, I was amazed by the thickness of the broth, along with the hefty chunks of chicken and vegetables. There are good-sized pieces of white meat chicken, generously wide egg noodles, and thick slices of carrots and celery. This soup is as appealing on the eyes as it is on the palate.

In terms of flavor, the soup is seasoned with onion and garlic (like other brands), but the addition of a proprietary spice blend takes things to the next level. The soup is savory, mildly tangy (from the tomato puree), and speckled with sweet chives. It checked all the boxes for me, so it was tough to give it second place; in fact, it was so close, I had to sleep on it. In the end, this came in second because one soup was slightly better.

Meet your winner: Campbell's chunky classic chicken noodle soup. I chose the "chunky" variety because it was most like the other soups when it came to the broth, chicken, noodles, and vegetables. However, that's where the similarities ended.

Campbell's has been making soup for over 150 years , after all, so it knows a thing or two about how to transform a can of meat, pasta, and vegetables into a satisfying, show-stopping meal. This chicken noodle soup features substantial pieces of white meat chicken, chunks of carrots and celery, and an ample amount of plump egg noodles. The broth is thick, rich, and herby, and has decidedly more depth than the other brands. In fact, the seasonings linger on the palate in the most magical way.

I assume it's the combination of fresh ingredients and their dried or cooked counterparts (fresh and dried chicken, dried onion, cooked chicken skin) that add complexity to every bite. The chicken is moist and flavorful, the vegetables are sweet and colorful, and the noodles are meaty and tender. All the flavors and textures are perfectly balanced, which makes this soup the best of the bunch — hands down.

I sampled these soups with friends, then ranked them based on flavor (of the meat, vegetables, and broth), consistency, and how closely they lived up to their name. For example, if a soup promised to be homestyle, it should be homey and comforting like a homemade variety. A great chicken noodle soup shouldn't be mostly broth with a noodle here and there, either, so if I could count the number of chicken pieces on one hand, the soup lost points.

When shopping, there were several varieties of chicken noodle soup to choose from. To make a fair comparison, I skipped options with ingredients not typically found in the other brands. Since jarred and refrigerated chicken noodle soups are widely available, I included those, too, and they were ranked just as strictly as the canned brands. The higher-ranked chicken noodle soups were those I'd buy again and again. They were hearty and flavorful — boasting moist chicken, tender noodles, and recognizable vegetables — and had just enough savory broth to wash it all down.