Chicken noodle soup evokes childhood memories of comfort food during cooler months, not to mention providing a defense against the dreaded flu season.
I’ve yet to write out a recipe for a soup I’ve been making for 30 years, but the key components always remain the same: chicken, vegetables, noodles and broth. Here’s how we make a cold buster chicken noodle soup.
If you have time, poach chicken breasts in aromatics, but if time is short, pick up a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Classic vegetables include carrots, celery and onion. Noodles are subjective; choose noodles that are easy to eat, smaller ones like thin soup noodles, ditalini, broad egg noodles, or even orzo. Cook the noodles separately and add them to individual bowls before you ladle in the soup. Noodles in leftover soup will soak up any liquid leaving you with little broth and mushy pasta.
The broth is really the star. Without a tasty broth to start with the soup will taste bland. Make your own broth or pick up a quality broth or stock from Primal Soup Company, Stock and Sauce, Urban Butcher or Bone to Broth.
Classic Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 small onions, 1 for poaching liquid and 1 chopped
- 4 stalks celery, 1 for poaching liquid and 3 chopped
- 4 carrots, 1 for poaching liquid and 3 peeled and chopped
- 8-10 cups chicken stock/broth
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 4 sage leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- 2 Parmesan rinds
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup dry noodles (200 gr)
- 2 ups 2 raw chicken breasts or 2 shredded cooked chicken
Instructions
Poach Chicken Breasts
- Roughly chop one onion, one celery stalk and 1 peeled carrot. Add these vegetables to four cups of water in a saucepan.
- Add 2 bay, 1 sage leaf, a sprig of thyme and parsley. Bring to a simmer and add chicken breasts.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from broth and set aside to rest. Once cool enough to handle, shred with two forks or your fingers.
- Strain the liquid and keep the poaching liquid. You can freeze it to use at a future date to enhance a stock or use in other soups and stews.
Make the soup
- In a large pot heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add chopped onions, celery and carrots and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly for about 5-7 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add broth, bay and sage leaves, sprigs of thyme and parsley, and Parmesan rinds. Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Taste and season.
- While the soup is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your noodles. Rinse and set aside.
- Add the shredded chicken to the soup and simmer for 5-7 minutes to heat through. Taste again and season if needed. Remove herbs and cheese rinds.
- Add cooked noodles to individual bowls and top with hot soup. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
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