Chicken noodle soup – not the condensed canned version of my childhood (although I remember it fondly), but a classic chicken soup in a pot on your stove top.
Chicken noodle soup is so easy, and very tasty. It can use up bits of leftover chicken, or be made with a chopped-up frozen chicken breast. It’s the proverbial cure for every cold and flu, the “Jewish penicillin” of the world. It only takes basic ingredients you may already have on hand. If you’ve never made it or never made any soup, chicken noodle is a good place to start.
Jump to RecipeHere’s how for Chicken Noodle Soup
Start with the classic trio of celery, onion, and carrots. Cook to softened, 5 minutes. Add in the garlic – don’t let it burn.
Add in chicken stock and an equal amount of water. I also add in some chicken Better than Bouillon. A teaspoon or two makes a world of difference. Use any herbs or spices you like. I usually add dill, sometimes smoked paprika, and sometimes an Italian herb blend. Add what you like best.
As for noodles, I like the small classic condensed soup kind of noodles. They are easier to eat with a spoon. But if you have wide curly noodles, use those. If all you have is spaghetti in the pantry, use a few strands, broken into 2-inch pieces. Use whatever you have.
I prefer to add the noodles to cook in the soup, but like my noodles, they will continue to cook in the broth, and can sometimes become overcooked and soggy. If you are making the soup in advance, either cook the noodles separately and just reheat in the soup, or add and cook them in the soup before serving.
The chicken can be fresh or already-cooked leftovers. I frequently save up bits of cooked chicken that we aren’t going to finish in the freezer, then use them in soups, chicken and biscuits or chicken and dumplings. Meat is far too expensive these days to throw away – freeze it until you find another way to use it. Save the bones of chicken carcasses to make stock.
If Your Soup Tastes Bland….
Without enough salt or flavoring, any food can taste bland. Add more salt until you taste the right “zing”. For those of you watching sodium content, try adding a no-salt spice blend. The other thing that can help is a bit of acid – just a teaspoon or so. A bit of lemon juice or vinegar can help balance and bring out flavors. The poultry seasoning is important too – it adds classic chicken flavor note of sage and other herbs.
Fox Pines Chicken Noodle Soup
A classic simple chicken soup, good anytime but especially when you have a cold.
Ingredients
- 1 onion diced up
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 carrot diced or sliced
- 1 qt chicken broth or water with bouillon
- 1 qt water
- salt and pepper to taste
- onion, garlic powder, &/or celery salt, to taste
- 2 tsp poultry seasoning
- herbs of your liking – I usually use dill
- 4 oz noodles small or large
- 1 1/2 cups chicken – leftover is fine,or cut up fresh chicken breast, or thighs
Instructions
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Saute the onion, celery & carrot in a couple tbsp of oil (I prefer Olive oil). when it starts to soften, add in the garlic*.
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Stir around a minute, then put in the raw chicken, if you are using it, and let it brown a minute too. Add in the chicken stock, and then the water/boullion.
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Stir in the seasonings, and the leftover chicken, if using it instead of the raw chicken, and taste. Bring to a simmer, and add the noodles (any kind you like).
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Let simmer until the noodles are cooked, another 10 minutes or so.
A couple of last suggestions regarding soup. Although it’s possible to find anything online, I love my old copy of The Ultimate Soup book. I refer to it constantly during “soup season” for ideas or cooking reminders. It’s one of my favorite cookbooks. Do you love a different soup book?
And Lastly, I also highly recommend Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat. It is easy ready, but so informative about the four elements that play a huge role in cooking and flavors.
