Chicken Noodle Soup
As an introduction, I would like for you to share my take on an old recipe. It is pretty easy to prepare and you can't go wrong if you decide to make a few variations in the ingredients.
Grab a heavy pot that will hold at least two quarts or a stock pot. We start off with a basic chicken broth base and layer in the flavors. Use whatever leftover chicken you have in the refrigerator. For me, that is usually a leftover rotisserie chicken. Now rotisserrie brings lots of flavor with it so i caution on the use of seasoning. I try to be aware of excessive salt usage.
Read me first
My advice is to cook slowly (lower heat) and add seasoning gradually to your taste. You can always add more flavor, but you can't take it out. Slow cooking doesn't mean longer time in the kitchen, it means more control over the outcome. Simmering is much better than heavy boiling. Not to say that heavy boiling doesn't have its place, however we won't heavy boil with this recipe.
Here's what you need
2 cups chicken, (skinned and chopped)
2 cups celery chopped
1 3/4 cups or 1 large sweet onion chopped (Vidalia)
1 1/2 cups medium carrots chopped (about 3 carrots)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/4-1/2 8 oz. pkg. egg noodles (I like the smaller noodles)
2 tbs olive oil (extra virgin olive oil, EVOO)
1 tbs seasoning salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbs Hotsauce or Tobasco (optional)
2 1/2 Tbs Chicken soup base or bouillon cubes (about 6 - 7 cubes)
8 cups water
Options: 1. For a creamy soup add 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
2. For an Eastern flare add 1-1/2 tsp of curry powder
3. For a taste of the Mediterranean add 1-1/2 tbs of cumin
Here's what you do
1. In your stock pot, over a low heat, place the 2 tbs of EVOO and then add your celery, sweet onion. carrots, and bell pepper.
Saute these veggies together for about 10 minutes. This is *sweating the veggies and at this point you begin to layer the flavor.
Add about 1/2 of each of the seasonings, so 1/2 tbs of seasoning salt and 1/2 tbs of black pepper. DO NOT ADD the hotsauce now.
2. Now place the veggies in the stock pot with the 8 cups of water and the chicken soup base or boullion cubes, place on med-low heat and
bring to a simmer.
3. Add your chicken to the pot. Let soup now simmer for 50 min - 1 Hr
10 minutes before turning off the pot add your egg noodles. (and optional heavy cream) This will give the oodles enough time to become soft
without over cooking them.
*sweating is cooking the vegetables in a little oil under low heat so that they cook in their own juices. The idea is to soften the vegetables
without browning them.
Now, how about a nice slice of cornbread to accompany the soup. Well here is the cornbread recipe too!
Grab a heavy pot that will hold at least two quarts or a stock pot. We start off with a basic chicken broth base and layer in the flavors. Use whatever leftover chicken you have in the refrigerator. For me, that is usually a leftover rotisserie chicken. Now rotisserrie brings lots of flavor with it so i caution on the use of seasoning. I try to be aware of excessive salt usage.
Read me first
My advice is to cook slowly (lower heat) and add seasoning gradually to your taste. You can always add more flavor, but you can't take it out. Slow cooking doesn't mean longer time in the kitchen, it means more control over the outcome. Simmering is much better than heavy boiling. Not to say that heavy boiling doesn't have its place, however we won't heavy boil with this recipe.
Here's what you need
2 cups chicken, (skinned and chopped)
2 cups celery chopped
1 3/4 cups or 1 large sweet onion chopped (Vidalia)
1 1/2 cups medium carrots chopped (about 3 carrots)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/4-1/2 8 oz. pkg. egg noodles (I like the smaller noodles)
2 tbs olive oil (extra virgin olive oil, EVOO)
1 tbs seasoning salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbs Hotsauce or Tobasco (optional)
2 1/2 Tbs Chicken soup base or bouillon cubes (about 6 - 7 cubes)
8 cups water
Options: 1. For a creamy soup add 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
2. For an Eastern flare add 1-1/2 tsp of curry powder
3. For a taste of the Mediterranean add 1-1/2 tbs of cumin
Here's what you do
1. In your stock pot, over a low heat, place the 2 tbs of EVOO and then add your celery, sweet onion. carrots, and bell pepper.
Saute these veggies together for about 10 minutes. This is *sweating the veggies and at this point you begin to layer the flavor.
Add about 1/2 of each of the seasonings, so 1/2 tbs of seasoning salt and 1/2 tbs of black pepper. DO NOT ADD the hotsauce now.
2. Now place the veggies in the stock pot with the 8 cups of water and the chicken soup base or boullion cubes, place on med-low heat and
bring to a simmer.
3. Add your chicken to the pot. Let soup now simmer for 50 min - 1 Hr
10 minutes before turning off the pot add your egg noodles. (and optional heavy cream) This will give the oodles enough time to become soft
without over cooking them.
*sweating is cooking the vegetables in a little oil under low heat so that they cook in their own juices. The idea is to soften the vegetables
without browning them.
Now, how about a nice slice of cornbread to accompany the soup. Well here is the cornbread recipe too!
