When I’m feeling under the weather or just craving something warm and comforting, I often reach for a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup. It’s been a pantry staple for generations of families, including mine. But have you ever stopped to look at what’s actually in that iconic red and white can?
I decided to take a closer look at the ingredients list, and what I found was pretty interesting The soup we know and love today is quite different from the original recipe that Campbell’s first introduced back in 1934
The Complete Ingredients List in Today’s Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
According to current product information, here’s what you’ll find in a can of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
- Chicken broth (water and chicken stock)
- Enriched egg noodles (wheat flour, eggs, and added vitamins)
- Seasoned chicken meat
- Salt
- Chicken fat
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Cornstarch
- Modified food starch/cornstarch
- Natural flavoring
- Sugar
- Beta carotene (for coloring)
- Onion powder
- Soy protein isolate
- Yeast extract
- Dried chicken
- Garlic extract/dehydrated garlic
- Spice extracts
The Canadian version of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup contains very similar ingredients, with “CHICKEN BROTH (WATER, CHICKEN STOCK), NOODLES (WHEAT FLOUR, WHOLE EGG), SEASONED CHICKEN (SOY), SALT, CHICKEN FAT, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, CORN STARCH, FLAVOUR, ONION POWDER, YEAST EXTRACT, SPICE EXTRACTS, BETA CAROTENE, DEHYDRATED GARLIC”
How Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup Has Changed Over Time
Campbell’s soup has evolved quite a bit since it first appeared on shelves. Let’s look at how the recipe has changed:
Then vs. Now
| Component | Original Recipe (1934) | Modern Recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Broth | Made with real chicken stock | Primarily water with some chicken stock |
| Noodles | Basic flour and egg noodles | Wheat flour noodles with cornstarch |
| Chicken | Actual chicken meat as main protein | Contains “chicken flavor” and hydrolyzed proteins |
| Preservatives | None | Modified cornstarch and yeast extract |
| Flavors | Simple seasonings like salt and pepper | Includes MSG and artificial flavors |
| Thickness | Natural thickness from homemade broth | Adds cornstarch for consistency |
These changes likely came about as Campbell’s needed to scale up production, extend shelf life, and distribute their product nationally. While this allowed the soup to be more widely available, it also meant moving further away from the simple homemade taste that originally made it popular.
The Nutritional Profile of Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
If you’re counting calories or monitoring your nutrition, here’s what a 250ml serving of Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup provides:
- Calories: 70
- Fat: 2g (3% daily value)
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3% daily value)
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
- Sodium: 800mg (33% daily value)
- Carbohydrates: 9g (3% daily value)
- Fiber: 1g (4% daily value)
- Sugars: 1g
- Protein: 3g
This makes it a relatively low-calorie option, but the sodium content is quite high at 33% of your daily recommended intake per serving.
The Role of Key Ingredients
Chicken Broth
The foundation of the soup is chicken broth, which gives it that comforting flavor we all love. Traditionally, this would be made by simmering chicken meat and bones with vegetables and herbs. However, in today’s Campbell’s soup, the broth is primarily water with some chicken stock added.
Noodles
The noodles in Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup are made from wheat flour and eggs. They’re enriched with vitamins and minerals to boost their nutritional value. The noodles provide the carbohydrates that make the soup filling and satisfying.
Chicken
While the original soup contained chunks of real chicken meat, today’s version contains “seasoned chicken meat” which may include soy and other additives. The amount of actual chicken has decreased over time, with more reliance on chicken flavoring instead.
Flavor Enhancers
Modern Campbell’s soup contains several flavor enhancers like MSG, yeast extract, and “natural flavoring.” These ingredients help give the soup its savory taste despite having less real chicken than the original recipe.
Vegetables
The soup contains minimal vegetables – mainly in the form of dehydrated onion powder and garlic. This is a far cry from the carrots, celery, and onions that would be found in a homemade chicken noodle soup.
Upgrading Your Campbell’s Soup Experience
If you want to enjoy Campbell’s convenience but with a more homemade taste, here’s a simple upgrade I like to do:
Quick Campbell’s Soup Upgrade Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 can Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup
- 1 carrot, finely sliced into disks
- 50g grilled chicken breast, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 green onion, diced
- 15g fresh grated Parmesan
Instructions:
- Prep your vegetables – slice the carrot and dice the green onion.
- Cut your cooked chicken breast into small cubes.
- Empty the soup into a pot and add a can of cold water.
- Add the chicken and carrots to the soup and cook on medium heat.
- Halfway through cooking, add the diced green onions.
- Bring to a low boil, then remove from heat.
- Serve in bowls topped with fresh grated Parmesan.
This simple upgrade adds more vegetables, protein, and flavor to your canned soup experience!
FAQ About Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup
Does Campbell’s use real chicken in their soup?
According to the ingredients list, Campbell’s does use chicken meat in their soup, but it’s described as “seasoned chicken” and isn’t the primary ingredient. The chicken broth itself is mostly water with some chicken stock added.
Is Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup healthy?
With only 70 calories per serving, it’s a low-calorie option. However, it contains 800mg of sodium (33% of daily value) per serving, which is quite high. It also contains MSG and other additives that some people prefer to avoid.
How has Campbell’s soup changed over the years?
The original recipe was much simpler, with real chicken stock, basic noodles, and chunks of chicken. Today’s version includes more preservatives, thickeners, and flavor enhancers to extend shelf life and ensure consistency.
What can I add to Campbell’s soup to make it better?
Fresh vegetables like carrots and green onions, additional cooked chicken, and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese can all enhance the flavor and nutritional value of canned soup.
Final Thoughts
Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup remains a beloved comfort food despite the changes to its recipe over the decades. While it’s convenient and offers that familiar taste many of us grew up with, it’s worth knowing that what’s in the can today is quite different from a homemade chicken noodle soup.
If you’re looking for the most nutritious option, making soup from scratch lets you control exactly what goes into it. But for those days when you need something quick and comforting, Campbell’s still offers that warm, nostalgic experience we crave – especially if you dress it up with some fresh additions of your own.
Next time you reach for that iconic red and white can, you’ll know exactly what you’re getting and how to make the most of it!
Additional NotesYou can purchase pre-grilled chicken breast strips and cut them up for this recipe, but what I do is buy a big box of chicken breasts, season them up and grill them on the BBQ, then portion and freeze them for use in salads, soups, quick sandwiches and more.You can also do this with boneless chicken thighs, which give even more flavour.Because you want the carrots to be soft and flavourful, add them at the start of the cooking; the onions can wait until half way through.Try other veggies as well, including diced peppers, shredded parsnips or turnips, and others. The key is to keep the sizes small so they cook in the short soup heating time.
Campbells Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup
thin sliced carrots (yellow)
Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup Upgrade
This upgrade on a condensed can of soup brings in some vegetables, more chicken, a lot more flavour, and an unami hit from the grated parmesan.
- Prep Time 10 minutes
- Cook Time 10 minutes
- Total Time 20 minutes
- Serves 2 people
- Calories 325 kcal
- 1 Can Campbells Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup
- 1 Carrot, finely slicked into disks
- 50g Grilled Chicken Breast, cut into 1cm cubes
- 1 Green Onion, diced
- 15g Fresh Grated Parmesan
- Prep your veggies first, by thinly slicing your carrot stick (I use a mandolin for quick work), and dicing up the green onion.
- Dice up your pre-cooked chicken breast into 1cm cubes, or make them random, small bite sizes.
- Open the can, add the condensed soup to a soup pot and add another can of cold water.
- Add carrots and chicken to the soup and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Midway through cooking, add the diced green onions. Stir occasionally.
- Bring the soup to a low boil, then remove from heat.
- Measure out the soup to two bowls, and sprinkle 7-8g of grated parmesan on each, then serve.