What’s the best canned chicken noodle soup? 11 top brands ranked

Chicken soup is known as a balm for the cold and sniffly, the kind of food that can soothe our comfort-seeking souls. Sometimes, though, a long-simmered pot can feel out of reach. For sick days and snow-day lunches, a can or a jar tucked into your pantry might be just the thing you need.

Grocery shelves are awash with options, so it’s hard to know which brand to reach for. We decided to see which might bowl us over — and which deserve to get canned.

The lineup: Our taste test focused on shelf-stable soups referred to in the industry as “wet,” as opposed to the dry packets used in some mixes. We identified the top-selling soup brands, using market data from Chicago-based market research firm Circana, which draws its numbers from grocery, drug, mass-market, convenience, military, and select club and dollar retailers. For “private-label,” or store, brands, we picked several from leading national retailers, giving us a total of 11 brands to test. We chose the simplest, most basic version of chicken soup each brand offered so we could make the most direct comparisons.

The process: We followed the instructions on the packaging for each, cooking all the samples on the stovetop. (Some offered directions for preparing in the microwave, too.) Most instructions were very simple, bordering on vague. (“Heat in saucepan.” “Heat. Serve. Savor.”) Two of the bunch were condensed, meaning they must be mixed with an equal amount of water before heating and serving.

The judging: We used a blind taste test in which seven of our colleagues were given all 11 samples without knowing which brands they were tasting. Judges awarded each a score of 1 to 10, taking into account appearance, aroma, texture and flavor. Each sample had a possible high score of 70 and a low of 7.

Which can will give you a soup-erior bowl? We noodled around to find out.

11. Health Valley Organic Chicken Noodle Soup Low Sodium

Score: 8

As a category, canned soups contain a lot of sodium, which isn’t ideal for people trying to limit their intake. Unfortunately, the sole entrant labeled “low sodium” was also the hands-down, unanimous loser — by far. Every single taster found this can to be bland and flavorless, and several complained about the unappealingly “murky” broth.

(Price: $4.99/14.5 ounces at Sunset Foods)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sodium: 65 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 1 g.

10. 365 Organic Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 29

Mushy peas might be a beloved British dish, but they don’t belong in chicken soup, our tasters agreed. Several people thought the green vegetable was overbearing (“all I taste is peas,” said one) and complained about their too-soft texture, although several said the noodles struck the right textural note. Another ding: A few thought the broth had a “strange,” “off” flavor.

(Price: $3.99/18.6 ounces at Whole Foods)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Sodium: 610 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Protein: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g.

9. Zoup! Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 31

Several tasters noticed visible fat in this sample. One felt ambivalent about that feature, saying it made it “richer” than the rest, though they “wonder[ed] if it would be too much for an entire bowl.” Others just found it to be greasy. “My tongue has an oil slick on it,” one complained. The vegetables were cut more finely than in other brands, several noted. “They sort of dissolve in your mouth,” said one.

(Price: $4.98/16 ounces at Walmart)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 130; Total Fat: 6 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 12 g; Sodium: 650 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Protein: 8 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 1 g.

7. (tie) Annie’s Organic Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 34

Several judges noted that the broth from this can was slightly thicker than the rest of the pack. It got a lot of middle-of-the-road scores and reviews. Examples: “I would be okay if someone gave this to me when I was sick.” “I don’t mind this one.”

(Price: $4.89/14 ounces at Whole Foods)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 90; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 11 g; Sodium: 590 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Protein: 5 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 1 g.

7. (tie) Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 34

If you’re into giving peas a chance, this legume-forward bowl might be for you. “Hello, peas!” said one taster. The noodles in this sample were divisive: Fans described them as having a “nice bite” and “some bounce.” But one detractor found them to be “almost rubbery.”

(Price: $2.99/16.1 ounces at Target)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 80; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: 0 g; Carbohydrates: 10 g; Sodium: 640 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Protein: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 2 g; Sugar: 1 g.

6. Rao’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 35

This brand might be responsible for our hands-down favorite marinara sauce, but it turns out the magic doesn’t quite extend to chicken soup. Nearly all our tasters found it to be overly herby. “I’m inside an oregano shaker,” said one. “Heavy on thyme is an interesting choice,” said another. The soup makers had a heavy hand with the salt, too, according to some tasters. And dry might be a good thing when it comes to martinis and wit, but not chicken — a few people complained that the bits of bird were overcooked.

(Price: $5.49/16 ounces at Jewel-Osco)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 120; Total Fat: 4 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Sodium: 720 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Protein: 8 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g.

5. Trader Joe’s Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 36

A darker hue promised deeper flavor but, alas, didn’t seem to deliver in this relatively wan soup-testant. “Despite the color, its chicken flavor is muted,” complained one member of the panel. Several people, though, liked the beefier cuts of vegetables, including a generous amount of carrot, that didn’t seem to disappear into the broth the way they did in other samples. “The veggies are big enough to survive,” noted one.

(Price: $2.99/18.4 ounces at Trader Joe’s)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 110; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Sodium: 550 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Protein: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 0 g.

3. (tie) Campbell’s Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 37

Tasters noted that this is a pared-down soup, with no herbs, no veg — and actually very little chicken. It’s the basic, familiar stuff that many of us grew up on. Despite its simplicity, the broth and thin noodles hit the right notes for many. “So simple and yet so tasty,” said one fan. Several noted that the soup was salty but not overly so. “Deeply satisfying — best in class,” said another. “Reminds me of soup from a Jewish deli.”

(Price: $1.49/10.75 ounces at Jewel-Osco)

Per 1-cup reconstituted serving (from ½ cup condensed): Calories: 60; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Sodium: 890 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 0 g.

3. (tie) Great Value Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 37

This sample got a lot of comments similar to the Campbell’s, and several tasters thought they had clocked this one as the brand they knew from their childhood sickbeds. “Is that you, Campbell’s?” one wondered. Supermarkets generally don’t reveal who makes their private-label products, so we don’t know whether these soups actually share DNA (and nearly identical nutritional information) or whether they’re just spiritual twins. But they certainly shared the same makeup of thin noodles, no vegetables and a sunny-hued base. “Gold, the color of schmaltz!” gushed one. Some tasters, though, didn’t like the lack of vegetables and seasoning and found the flavor redolent of salt but little else. “Nostalgic but not particularly flavorful,” according to one.

(Price: 70 cents/10.5 ounces at Walmart)

Per 1-cup reconstituted serving (from ½ cup condensed): Calories: 60; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 8 g; Sodium: 890 mg; Cholesterol: 15 mg; Protein: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugar: 0 g.

2. Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 42

Robust rotini noodles added the plot twist we didn’t see coming for this dark-horse entrant. We tracked this brand down in a discount store, and with a price tag of a buck and a quarter, we weren’t expecting much. But it performed well, even winning a rare perfect 10 from one taster who praised its flavorful broth and sturdy pasta. “I’m going back for more,” they said. “I can’t believe it, I love it.” The hefty chicken bites caught people’s eyes, too. “The largest chunk of chicken of them all?” wondered one. A “pleasantly peppery” note was a hit as well. A couple of drags kept it from taking the crown, but particularly for value seekers, this one is worth checking out.

(Price: $1.25/15 ounces at Dollar Tree)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 100; Total Fat: 2 g; Saturated Fat: 0.5 g; Carbohydrates: 14 g; Sodium: 390 mg; Cholesterol: 20 mg; Protein: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g.

1. Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup

Score: 44

This soup ticked a lot of boxes for our tasters. According to many, the chicken got good marks for texture, the noodles were plentiful and not too soft, the broth had herbal notes that weren’t overpowering, and the vegetables were pronounced. “Well-seasoned, noodles still have some structure,” said one. In particular, the broth won fans, with one detecting more vegetal notes and several shouting out the subtle presence of celery, that often-overlooked supporting player. “More warming, herby taste to the broth,” said another. The chicken — neither chewy nor soggy — won over a few, too. “I like that the chicken pieces look real, with striated muscle,” said one. “It’s solid!” chimed in another.

(Price: $3.49/19 ounces at Jewel-Osco)

Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 100; Total Fat: 2.5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g; Sodium: 660 mg; Cholesterol: 25 mg; Protein: 7 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 1 g.

• Daily Herald staff edited this report to add local prices and availability.