Canned Chicken Noodle Soup Ranked From Worst To Best

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A good bowl of chicken noodle soup can be likened to a warm hug — with tender chicken, savory broth, and slippery noodles, this classic dish is literal comfort in a bowl. Though canned chicken noodle soup doesn't always pack the same delicious flavor as homemade, there are some brands out there that come pretty darn close. ​

So, which store-bought canned chicken noodle soups fit the bill? In the upcoming post, I'll rank 14 store-bought canned chicken noodle soups to see which is worthy of your dime. I'll get you the information you need and the details you crave, including pricing, ingredients, and, of course, overall flavor. Bear in mind that the details mentioned in this post are all subject to change — pricing and availability may vary. With that, join me on a savory journey as I rank store-bought chicken noodle soup in hopes of finding one good enough to truly warm my soul. 

Kroger Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup is plenty cheap, but its flavor isn't worth it. You can find this condensed soup option in a 10.5-ounce can for 89 cents at participating Kroger-owned stores; it has 1,625 milligrams of sodium per can and, ​from what I can tell, contains no MSG, otherwise known as monosodium glutamate.

Kroger Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup tastes like under-salted broth water; it's extremely bland. As far as the noodle-to-chicken ratio goes, expect a composition similar to Campbell's condensed chicken noodle soup. Like the name-brand competitor, Kroger Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup is bogged down with thick, straight spaghetti-like noodles accompanied by only a scant amount of chicken. Still, if given the choice between the original Campbell's Condensed Soup and this Kroger variety, I'd pick the former; though it contains MSG, Campbell's variety tastes slightly better, thus making it worth the extra few cents, in my opinion.

Great Value Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup comes in a 10.5-ounce can and goes for around 70 cents at the time of publication. It contains the same ghastly amount of sodium as Campbell's brand, at 98% of your recommended daily value per can, but hey, at least there's no MSG added. ​

So, is Great Value Condensed Canned Chicken Noodle Soup worth the buy when compared to Campbell's version? Not really. Great Value Condensed Canned Chicken Noodle Soup isn't too bad, I guess, but condensed soup isn't really my jam anyway. One thing I know for sure is that this Walmart-branded option contains more meat than Campbell's version, and the ingredients contained therein (chicken and noodles) are evenly distributed. Still, there's something off about its flavor – though similar to most other condensed soups out there, Great Value Condensed Canned Chicken Noodle Soup had a weird cumin-like aftertaste. 

Maybe it's just me, but I can't recommend Great Value Condensed Canned Chicken Noodle Soup — there are far too many other chicken noodle soup options out there that taste way better.

Moving right along, Campbell's Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup comes in an 18.6-ounce can for $2-3 at Walmart. It contains 1,690 milligrams of sodium (that's 73% of your daily value) and several additives, including disodium inosinate, disodium guanylate, and more.

Campbell's Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup was disgusting from start to finish. Upon opening the soup, there was a weird, fatty, yellow layer floating on top of the broth. I felt like I could literally smell the additives in this — it was nowhere near as fresh as some of the other, higher-quality chicken soups on the list. There was a good amount of noodles and veggies, but very few chicken pieces. As far as taste goes, Campbell's Chunky Classic Chicken Noodle Soup turned my stomach — it tasted the same way it smelled. The only positive attribute this soup had going for it was that it was full of noodles and veggies — whether or not I wanted to eat those noodles and veggies is another matter entirely.

Annie's Organic Chicken Noodle Soup may feature wholesome ingredients, but when it comes to flavor, it misses the mark. Annie's Organic Chicken Noodle Soup is found on Amazon for $3.99 for a 14-ounce can and other retailers where Annie's brand is sold. Its pristine organic ingredients are indeed impressive, though its sodium count remains relatively high at 960 milligrams per can, about 42% of your daily recommended value. ​

My first impression of Annie's Organic Chicken Noodle Soup was a good one — it features hearty pieces of carrot and chicken, both of which are evenly distributed amongst a plethora of thick twisty noodles. Sadly, the flavor of the soup wasn't as expected — considering its promising appearance, I'm actually shocked by how bad it tastes. There's no flavor to Annie's Organic Chicken Noodle Soup at all; the broth literally tastes like water. The only thing I do like about this soup is the texture of the meat — the chicken is delightfully tender. ​Even so, I consider Annie's Organic Chicken Noodle Soup a poor choice for store-bought chicken noodle soup; though its ingredient list and overall presentation were promising, the soup left me sorely disappointed.

Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request Chicken Noodle Soup comes in an 18.6-ounce can for $2.48 at my local Walmart. As its name would imply, the soup is a bit healthier than the classic variety of the same brand; it features slightly less cholesterol and carbohydrates, though the fat content remains the same. Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky Canned Chicken Noodle Soup also contains only 880 milligrams of sodium (around 38% of your daily recommended value), which I find quite impressive compared to Campbell's classic variety at 1,690 milligrams. ​

Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky Chicken Noodle Soup featured the same unappetizing film the traditional version contained, though this time it was green instead of yellow. Looking over the ingredients, there seemed to be fewer additives in this one, which is probably why I enjoyed its flavor more. With less sodium, fewer additives, and seemingly more chicken, noodles, and veggies, I found Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky Canned Chicken Noodle Soup tastier than the classic variety. Even so, I still don't consider it tasty enough to rank as one of the best store-bought chicken soups out there — it still had an off-flavor to it that didn't taste as fresh as some of the other, higher-quality chicken soups on the list.

I found Simple Truth Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup at my local Pick 'n Save for $2.99 for an 18.6-ounce can. Given that it's an organic option, I was generally impressed by its ingredients; though I was a bit thrown off by the inconspicuous "organic natural flavor" mentioned on the label, the ingredients seemed clean enough. As for sodium, Simple Truth Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup contains 1,360 milligrams of sodium, which is around 59% of your recommended daily value. 

Sadly, Simple Truth Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup didn't live up to my expectations. The noodles in the soup are plenty thick, but there aren't many of them. Some even seem to be broken off, almost as if they were purposely chopped. As for the rest of the ingredients, expect everything to come finely minced; it's almost as though the company intentionally diced everything small to make the soup appear robust. Even the broth was under-seasoned, making for an overall unsatisfying bowl of soup. Hey, I love organic ingredients as much as the next person, but Simple Truth Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup simply isn't an offering I recommend placing in your cart. 

Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup is a classic, though this nostalgic pantry staple doesn't taste quite like I remember. It comes in a 10.75-ounce can and is sold for $1-2 at my local Walmart, and contains some additives that most others don't (I'm lookin' at you, monosodium glutamate). The soup also features a hefty amount of sodium at nearly 98% of your recommended daily value per can (2,225 milligrams), but considering it's a condensed version of soup, I guess that makes sense.​

Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup is probably considered one of the best canned foods many of us grew up eating; still, I wondered if its flavor would tantalize my taste buds the way it did when I was a kid. It didn't — at least not with water added. You see, I didn't grow up adding water to Campbell's Condensed Canned Chicken Noodle Soup, and I think it tastes better without. When made according to the directions on the label, the soup is incredibly bland, which is disappointing, to say the least.

As for the ratio of ingredients, expect a ton of noodles with hardly any meat — I only saw 1-2 chicken pieces in the entire can, and that's no exaggeration. All in all, though a classic option, Campbell's Condensed Chicken Noodle Soup certainly doesn't rank as best.

Amy's No Chicken Noodle Soup comes in a 14.1-ounce can and typically goes for between $3-4. As its name would suggest, there's no chicken in this offering, but instead, minced tofu. Though organic in nature, there's still hydrolyzed and soy protein in the mix, so be aware of that if you're actively looking to avoid certain additives. There's also 1,080 milligrams of sodium per can, nearly 47% of your daily recommended value.

Amy's Organic No Chicken Noodle Soup features lots of straight noodles, finely diced veggies, and the tofu (which I never knew could be so tasty) mimicked the texture of meat quite well. Overall, I found this "no chicken" soup to be surprisingly good — but not in a chicken noodle soup kinda way. ​Amy's Organic No Chicken Noodle Soup tastes more like a veggie soup, but since I like vegetable soup, I still found the flavor comforting. 

Ultimately, whether or not this pick will be for you will depend on your expectations — as long as you aren't looking for classic flavor, you might find yourself pleased with this vegan option.

Rao's Chicken Noodle Soup is priced between $5-6 at my local Pick 'n Save, making it one of the more expensive soups on the list. It contains 1,410 milligrams of sodium total (61% of your daily value), and though the soup isn't organic, it contains very basic ingredients, which I always appreciate. ​

Rao's Chicken Noodle Soup isn't the worst, but definitely not the best. I had higher hopes because the brand is known for producing high-quality jarred pasta sauce, but I still found myself disappointed. Its flavor profile mirrors its Italian roots, tasting more like Italian herbs than chicken. Though there were plenty of finely diced veggies and thick noodles in the mix, I couldn't bring myself to get over its distinct flavor. I do think Rao's Chicken Noodle Soup could please some taste buds, but as for me, I'd rather pay less for tastier options.

Progresso Light Chicken Noodle Soup comes in a can that's slightly smaller than the classic version at 18.5 ounces, but sells at a similar price of around $2-3 at Walmart. Despite its "light" designation, the soup is still quite salty at 1,430 milligrams per can, which is 62% of your recommended daily value. Having said that, it's slightly less than the amount of sodium contained in Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup, and also contains fewer calories, fat, and carbohydrates. The ingredients list still contains additives like soy protein isolate and maltodextrin, so if that bothers you, be sure to steer clear. ​

Progresso Light Chicken Noodle Soup features a broth much clearer than the traditional version of the soup, and also contains fewer chicken pieces and noodles. Instead, the brand offers soup-lovers a heaping helping of veggies, making the soup appear robust despite its healthier composition. The addition of more veggies also affects its flavor; Progresso Light Chicken Noodle Soup's broth tastes more like vegetables than it does chicken. 

Is Progresso Light Chicken Noodle Soup tasty? Eh, that'll depend on you. I certainly didn't find it super satisfying, but if you're looking to cut calories, fat, and carbohydrates, you may still enjoy this lighter chicken soup option. 

Amazon Fresh Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup is the cheapest on the list, but is also the best of the condensed soup category. It costs 70 cents per 10.5 ounces and comes with a whopping 2,130 milligrams of sodium per can, 93% of your daily value.  

I didn't expect much — after all, the condensed soups I'd sampled up until now had been bland and unexciting. Interestingly, this Amazon-produced soup far exceeded my expectations — not only was there plenty of chicken, rich broth, and noodles to enjoy, but its flavor was incredible. I attribute its robust taste to its sodium content – don't get me wrong, Amazon Fresh Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup contains a lot of salt, which can have a negative impact on your health. Still, because the soup requires water, it kinda has to be that way, right? With water added, the soup remains deliciously flavorful, making it the perfect affordable option to deliver that old-school Campbell's savor — but better.

Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Noodle Soup comes in a 16.1-ounce can and goes for $3-4 at my local Walmart. Containing 1,200 milligrams of sodium per can, it provides 52% of your daily recommended value. 

When looking over Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Noodle Soup's label, I was super pleased with the ingredients list; each component is as pure as they come, with virtually no additives anywhere in sight. ​To be an organic option, Pacific Foods Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup tastes pretty good. The aroma of this soup hit me as soon as I opened the can; it smelled fresh and delicious. The twisty noodles were nice and thick, though they did seem to make up the majority of the soup. The chicken pieces were tender, yet very few. As for the veggies, expect them to come finely diced with a combination of carrot and celery in the mix.​

Generally speaking, I really enjoyed Pacific Foods Organic Chicken Noodle Soup. No, it didn't rank as high as some of the others, but out of the organic options, it's my favorite. I do wish it had more noodles, chicken, and veggies, and I think its broth could benefit from a pinch more salt, but I tend to like overly salty food, so it could just be me. Overall, I'd buy Pacific Foods Organic Canned Chicken Noodle Soup again.

Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup is one of the best chicken soup offerings on the list, with lots of good flavor and yummy add-ins. It comes in a hefty size at 19 ounces for only $2.38, and also features 1,460 grams of sodium per can (64% of your daily recommended value). There's no MSG hidden in the can, but expect some additives, including maltodextrin, soy protein isolate, and a few others.

Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup is a high-ranking option for several reasons. Not only is the price right, but the taste is phenomenal. Unlike other soups, there was a generous amount of chicken in the can; each piece was large and meaty. The carrot and celery pieces are impressive as well; while certainly not huge, they're heartily cut, and it doesn't feel like the company is cutting corners. The flavor of the broth is great; it has just the right amount of seasoning, and almost tastes like a homemade stock.

​My only qualm? Though the chicken pieces were a good size, they were a bit dry. Even so, Progresso Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup is one of the best on the market; I see it on sale often at my local grocer, so I'll be sure to stock up.

Noticing a pattern here? Progresso Traditional Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup can be found in an 18.5-ounce can, and goes for $2.79 at my local Pick 'n Save. It comes with all the traditional ingredients of a good sick-day chicken soup, along with a few additives and, of course, cream and butter, making it the richest option on the list. Expect 1,480 milligrams of sodium in each can, making up 64% of your daily recommended value — this time around, though, taking in all that sodium just might be worth it. 

​Progresso Traditional Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is one of the creamiest, most gratifying canned chicken noodle soups I've tasted in my life. It encompasses all the goodness of the traditional version, yet with the richness of butter and cream, taking the flavor up and over the top. The veggies, noodles, and chicken were flawless in terms of taste and texture, and the soup contained a good amount of each. I will say, I do wish there were more chicken pieces than what I got — but with the flavor this good, it's a flaw I'm willing to overlook. 

All in all, Progresso Traditional Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is one to keep on hand during warmer seasons — its soothing savor is the epitome of comfort, making it well worth the $2-3 it costs. 

The store-bought chicken noodle soups ranked in this post were judged primarily on the basis of taste. Though ingredients and sodium content were considered, they weren't defining factors in how high or low each canned chicken noodle soup offering was placed within the ranking. ​As always, prices and availability are subject to change.