There's really not much that's better than a bowl of delicious, homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, especially in the dead of winter. If you have a bit of the winter blues, or maybe some sniffles, that bowl of soup feels like your mama is hugging you tight. I should know ... my mom's soups are legendary and her hugs are tight!
The most important part of Chicken Noodle Soup
... is the broth. Seriously. That's where all the flavor is. You can make broth ahead of time. Several days even. You can even make it to store in the freezer so that Chicken Noodle Soup is only minutes away.
You start where all good broths start ... with onions, celery, and carrots. And some ginger!
Saute it all to bring out the flavors, then add some garlic, lemon, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and parsley.
I like using a whole chicken because there's so much flavor and nutrition, but if you don't like "picking a chicken", you can use skinless, boneless chicken. I'm fortunate to have some stewing hens in my freezer and that's what I'm using this winter.
Cover it all with water and season with salt. Bring it to a boil, then turn the heat down to let it simmer for at least 3 hours. The chicken will be falling off the bone! Let it cool, then remove the skin and pull the meat in to small, bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth through a colander and reserve it for the soup.
To make Chicken Noodle Soup
Once the broth is made, making the soup is very quick and easy. Saute onions, carrots, and celery, add the chicken, and the broth. Let it cook until the vegetables are tender, then add the noodles. You can use spaghetti, broken into small pieces, or egg noodles. I also like using small pasta shapes like stars or even macaroni. And as always, my pasta is always gluten-free.
Recipe
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
FOR THE BROTH
- 2 large carrots, chopped about a cup
- 1 medium onion, chopped about 1 cup
- 2 stalks celery, chopped about ½ cup
- 5 slices fresh ginger
- 1 whole chicken 3-4 pounds (See notes)
- 1 handful fresh parsley about ½ cup
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns
- ½ lemon
- 6 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 sprigs thyme
- salt to season
- water to fill pot and cover chicken
FOR THE SOUP
- 2 large carrots, chopped 1 cup
- 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup
- 2 stalks celery, chopped ½ cup
- chicken, pulled into bite-sized pieces
- chicken broth
- 6 ounces spaghetti or egg noodles, broken into short pieces or whatever shape you prefer
Instructions
FOR THE BROTH
- In a large soup pot, saute the carrots, onions, and celery in a little oil for 7-10 minutes, until they start to soften and the onion is translucent. Move them to the sides, then put the whole chicken in the pot.
- Add the parsley, thyme, peppercorns, lemon, garlic, bay leaves, and salt. Pour enough water in the pot to cover the chicken.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer on low for 3 hours.
- Remove the chicken to a platter and allow it to cool enough to be able to pull the meat off the bones. Pull it into bite-sized pieces. Strain the broth through a colander and discard the solids.
FOR THE SOUP
- Saute the carrots, onions, and celery for 7-10 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and as much of the broth as needed. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the noodles and cook till done.
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