chicken noodle soup
Chicken soup is a soothing balm during our winter months. Good for a light but satisfying meal after two weeks of indulgence, good for a cold, good after the hill, and great for making the most out of your whole roasted chicken!
The magic of a good chicken soup is in the broth. Simmering all the left over bones and trimmings brings out a depth of flavour (and nutrients!) that will take your chicken soup to another level. You can also use this stock as base for any of your favourite soups.
make your stock
Let's say you've just enjoyed a roasted chicken for dinner. While you are tidying up the kitchen - put your broth on to simmer. If you are short on time, put everything in a container, pop in the fridge and make your stock the next day.
Make sure to save any left over chicken!
Put all the bones and trimmings from your roasting pan into a stock pot, fill until just covered with water.
Season with salt, pepper, oregano and a little basil
Bring to a boil and let simmer for 45min.
Let cool slightly then strain your broth
You can either carry on to make your chicken soup or let your stock cool and then pop in the freezer to save for another day. You can use this stock to make chicken soup or as a delicious base for any of your favourite soups.
ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3-4 stalks celery
2-3 large carrots, diced
6 cups of your prepared broth
left over chicken, sliced to bite size pieces
1/2 cup pasta (orzo, spirals, macaroni), optional
salt + pepper to taste
method
Place a large soup pot on medium-high heat and add oil
Add onions and sauté until translucent
Add garlic and sauté two minutes more
Add celery and carrots, cover with lid and let steam for 5-7 minutes, stirring often
Add chicken stock and bring to a boil
Add left over sliced chicken
Let soup simmer 30-45 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender
If using, add pasta in for last 7-10 minutes of cook time
Enjoy with crusty bread!
notes
This recipe is incredibly forgiving - add in your favourite herbs + spices or vegetables. You can add more stock for a really brothy soup and add as much or as little pasta as you want for a heartier meal. Just remember that the pasta swells and absorbs water so if you don't want a thick soup make sure to add more broth. Enjoy making it your own!
