Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup is one of those underappreciated, simple dishes. I'm guilty of taking it for granted myself, especially because deep down I really want something terrible for me like broccoli cheddar. I've slacked so hard on chicken noodle soup that I've never even made it! The fact I'd grabbed celery and carrots recently made the soup choice an easy one. I'd been feeling a little under the weather and eating a basic, almost bland dish sounded like the best way to get me feeling better fast.

I think the reason I'd been so disinterested in this soup was because I'd mostly experienced the canned version as a kid. It was like eating chunks of salt, with not-so-appetizing chunks of dark meat chicken scattered throughout. Mmm, delicious.

Since then, I've just stuck with my favorites at restaurants and have enjoyed it infrequently. A few months ago, though, my boss ordered some chicken and potato soup from a local restaurant, and it was so good, I was reminded of how great a nice, hearty soup can make you feel. I'm definitely not one who believes soup should only be consumed in cold weather; that is likely evident by my adoration of Ramen anytime, anywhere. So on a nice, warm, Florida day, I made some chicken noodle soup.

I got out my dutch oven for this one, though a large pot will do as well. I decided to use bonelss chicken breasts for this, but you can use thighs or bone-in breasts as well. A little more fat and skin is going to add more flavor to the soup.

I browned the chicken on both sides in the pan, but did not cook it throughout. I then removed the chicken breasts and added in some onions and garlic, cooking until the onions began to soften. Then went in the chicken broth, water, carrots, and celery. Finally, I added the chicken back and heated the soup a simmer. After about 20 minutes, I added in the noodles and let those cook. The key was letting the chicken simmer int the soup and seasonings.

Now normally I'd be throwing in some paprika or crushed red pepper, because that's kind of my style, but I had to slow that pony down for this recipe because I was going somewhat bland. No over the top fun for me.

I know this seems brief but that's literally all there was to it. Chicken, veggies, and noodles, all simmered in a big ol' stockpot.

My favorite part about this recipe is the chicken. I tend to cook chicken first and then add it to dishes, but cooking it in the soup broth resulted in incredibly tender chunks of chicken. Braising meats in liquid always results in a more juicy meat, but wow, I need to cook chicken in stews and soups more often.

I have to say that despite the more basic nature of the recipe, I really found this warming and soothing. It was just what I needed when I needed it, and I'm happy to have finally made this soup. To think, I judged chicken noodle soup by as salty and loaded with mystery meat. The shame!

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cooking oil (I used avocado)
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
3-4 medium carrots, chopped
3 medium-sized bay leaves
1 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
3 cups uncooked egg noodles
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions:

Heat oil in a large stockpot to medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook each side for about 3 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Add onion and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add broth and water, then add chicken, celery, carrots, bay leaves, oregano, thyme, and parsley. Heat to a boil, then lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 20-25 minutes. Remove bay leaves and discard. Spoon out chicken, slice, and return to the pan for serving.


https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/the-ultimate-chicken-noodle-soup/