When the cold weather rolls in, nothing quite compares to a big bowl of comforting soup or stew. And, on those particularly frigid days, no soup is more warming than chicken noodle. The dish has been used to remedy everything from the common cold to the flu, and this recipe is sure to give you what you need on the chilliest of days.
This recipe keeps things simple, with common ingredients like tender carrots and chicken. If you’re planning to meal prep, this dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the freezer. It’s also a great way to use up leftover chicken and veggies in your fridge.
Start by adding olive oil, carrots, celery and onion to a large stockpot. Make sure it’s hot before adding in your ingredients — not doing so is a mistake often made by home cooks.
Once the carrots are tender, add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Then toss in the chicken broth, chicken breast pieces, parsley and thyme. Cook the mixture until it comes to a boil thenn reduce the heat and let it simmer for five minutes. Whether you plan to serve the dish immediately or save it for later, nothing changes the fact that this is one of the best soup recipes for fall.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 onion, pureed or diced small
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
10 cups chicken broth or homemade chicken stock
1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
1 teaspoon parsley
1/4 teaspoon thyme
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into pieces
Directions
In a large stockpot, melt olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add carrots, celery and onion; cook, stirring, until carrots and celery are tender, about 4 minutes.
Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
Add chicken broth, chicken breast pieces, parsley and thyme.
Continue to cook, stirring often, until it comes to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
Make it now:
Add pasta and cook 7-8 minutes or until al dente. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Make it a freezer meal:
Add pasta and cook for 3-4 minutes or until pasta is starting to get soft, but not fully cooked.
Remove pot from heat and allow to cool completely.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer soup to freezer safe containers or freezer bags.
Seal bag, removing as much air as possible and freeze or leave 1 inch head space in container, seal with lid and freeze.
Thaw and cook:
Place bag or container in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours or up to 24 hours to thaw.
Pour bag contents into a large stockpot.
Stirring often, warm over medium heat until heated through and steaming but not boiling. (Add additional chicken broth if needed.)
Serve.
To reheat in microwave place in a microwave safe container and cook on high for 1-2 minutes or until heated through.
Recipe is courtesy of Karrie Truman, Happy Money Saver.
