Chicken Noodle Soup
29 comments » 
It’s the first week of January. It was 8 degrees in Pittsburgh yesterday. And pretty much everyone I know (including yours truly) has been afflicted with some sort of cold or flu-like ailment within the last few weeks. Bitter temperatures and flu season coinciding means one thing: it’s time to keep the good ol’ standby, chicken noodle soup, at the ready in the refrigerator. If you are coming in from outside or keeping yourself wrapped in blankets, nothing seems to hit the spot quite like a piping hot bowl of chicken noodle soup. With crumbled crackers sprinkled on top, of course. The great news is that this amazing bowl of soup couldn’t be easier to make and you can have it ready in less than an hour.
Now, if you are the ambitious sort and make your own chicken stock, you can absolutely use that, and the accompanying breast meat from the chicken as well. I am not this ambitious. I should be, darn it, but I’m not. I don’t make my own stock. At least, not yet. I do love, however, that our local grocery chain, Giant Eagle, has started selling it’s own organic chicken stock, and it is phenomenal.
As far as the breast meat goes, if you aren’t making your own stock and using the breast meat from the chicken, you can easily boil and shred two chicken breasts. Or, to make the recipe even easier, pick up a rotisserie chicken from the store and shred the breast meat. Easy peasy! Now excuse me while I put on my fleece pants, snowflake socks, a hoodie, and heat myself a bowl of this soup.
Week one of January and I’m on track with my soup resolution, hooray!
Two years ago: Rugelach
Chicken Noodle Soup
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
1 stalk celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
2 quarts (8 cups) chicken stock
2 to 2½ cups cooked and shredded chicken breast meat (about 2 chicken breasts)
2 cups (3 ounces) egg noodles
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to tasteDirections:
1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and saute until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and shredded chicken meat. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the noodles and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
(Recipe adapted from The Best Soups and Stews by America's Test Kitchen)
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Looks super tasty! I feel a cold coming on, I need to whip up a batch so I can nip it in the bud!
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This is beautiful…I grew up with my grandma’s chicken noodle soup and such nice memories.
Your photography is gorgeous on this soup. So crisp and clear!
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Looks so comforting,..
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Such simple ingredients that sound so delicious together. Love that you used wide noodles. This soup looks so delish.
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I do love me some Chicken Noodle, it rates right behind Matzo Ball which is my all-time cure-all. And like you say, the best part is the stock can come together quick and easy and you’ll hardly know the difference.
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I’ve been suffering similarly over the last couple of weeks and I’m still coughing and sneezing my way through the day – I definitely need a big bowl of this!
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Cleveland is pretty similar, so I am right there with you on the soup bandwagon. Looks like a wonderful, warming soup!
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It is also adding up in the veggie dept….:)
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I recently made a batch so that I could freeze some… I feel a cold coming on I’m glad I did!
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I didn’t realize Giant Eagle does their own stock! I will have to go on the hunt for that! This looks so good and comforting. I want a bowl now!!
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This is perfect for the current weather. Hope you feel better!
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It’s more work, but I’m just sayin’… http://theefirewife.blogspot.com/2012/01/chicken-noodle-soup-yum.html
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I am not a member of the “make your own stock” camp either, so I love that this recipe doesn’t me to!! Looks great…so bright and pretty!!
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Please try to make your own stock….it is so much better and you know what is in it, easy peasy. I make a big batch and store in the freezer in jars.
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Out of all the soups out there, chicken noodle is my favorite! Your recipe looks onderful. I could go for a bowl right now and it’s only 6:44am!
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Oh my gosh, I couldn’t imagine it being that cold… It’s in the 50s here and I think I’m gonna freeze to death before it starts getting warm again in March!
This soup looks awesome, chicken noodle soup is my favorite!
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Well we are wearing t-shirts here it’s so oddly warm! But ive got a freezer full of frozen stock waiting for a cool day. My favorite part of winter!
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Mmm.you chicken stock looks so nice and dark! YUM!!!
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There are few things in life as comforting as chicken noodle soup, especially homemade!
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I’ve been in a soup kinda mood lately – love it!
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Great recipe Michelle
I have chicken soup on my to do list very soon.
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I make my own chicken stock quite a bit and it’s super easy. Once you’ve roasted a whole fryer save the bones, make some stock and freeze it for later. I just throw the bones, water, carrots, celery, onion, some parsley, a bay leaf (or any other herbs you like) into a stockpot and let it simmer for several hours. Strain and freeze. So good!
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Awesome article! The soup looks good!
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Gorgeous pictures, and that soup is guaranteed to make anyone feel better! I love the Imagine and Pacific brands of chicken stock – the kinds that come in the box, not the can – they would be perfect with this.
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The soup looks delicious (I’m a stock maker). I hope you feel better soon…stay warm!
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Made this last night, it was delicious. We’re going to have the leftovers for dinner tonight!
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This is what I am looking for today I have a bad cold and I am looking for a chicken soup recipe. And the ingredient is easy to prepare. thanks
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Yum! I don’t make chicken noodle soup nearly enough… This one looks perfect!
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Great homeade soup! I use thigh meat and from time to time add cooked sticky rice as well as the noodles for an extra filler up’er. Thanks for the recipe, so easy.
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