Description
This chicken noodle soup is packed with flavor so that you will want to enjoy it for any meal, not just when you’re sick. Healing and warming, perfect anytime you need a comforting meal.
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trim off as much excess fat as possible (see notes)
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, half chopped, half sliced
- 4 peeled carrots, half chopped, half sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (such as chardonnay)
- 7 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Fresh herb bundle: 2 sprigs rosemary, 4 sprigs thyme, 5 stalks parsley
- 8 to 10 ounces pasta (see notes)
For garnish
- fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare: Prepare the ingredients as instructed above. Trim as much excess fat of the chicken as possible. Chop the veggies as instructed, making sure to separate the chopped carrots and celery from the sliced carrots and celery, set everything aside. Also make your herb bundle by tying up all the fresh herbs with kitchen twine.
- Sear the chicken: Heat a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium high heat. Once heated add the butter and oil, once the butter is melted add the seasoned chicken. Cook 3 minutes, or until the chicken easily releases from the pan. Flip the chicken and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to plate and set aside (it’s okay if the chicken isn’t fully cooked it will simmer in the soup.
- Saute the veggies: Turn the heat down to low and add the onion, chopped celery and carrots (reserving the sliced veggies for later). Saute stirring occasionally, about 5 minute, or until the veggies are soft. Add the garlic and saute another minute.
- Deglaze: Add the white wine to the the pot, using your wooden spoon to scrape up any stuck on bits. Simmer for 2 minutes.
- Simmer: Add the chicken stock the 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, stir to combine. Add the chicken along with any juices back into the pot. Add the herb bundle, making sure it’s submerged. And add the sliced carrots and celery. Cover and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cook the pasta: While the soup is simmering make the pasta. In a separate pot follow the cooking directions for your pasta – make sure to cook pasta 1 to 2 minutes under the suggested cooking time, as it will continue to cook in the soup. Drain and add back to the empty pasta pot once done. (see notes if using wheat pasta).
- Chop the chicken: Once the soup is done simmering remove the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 minutes. Also remove the herb bundle at this time. Once it has rested use a knife to cube the chicken, or two forks to shred it. Stir the chicken back into the soup. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- To serve: Add desired amount of noodles to each serving bowl. Ladle the soup over top of the noodles, give the soup a little stir. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.
- Store leftovers: Store the leftover soup in a separate container from the cooked pasta. When you want to reheat it reheat the noodles with the soup. If you want to freeze the soup then freeze the soup without the noodles. Cook up some noodles when you are ready to serve.
Notes
Chicken broth: For convenience I use a high quality store bought chicken broth. However, if you happen to have any homemade chicken broth, or bone broth in the freezer that would be great. I have a recipe for Instant pot chicken broth if you want to make it in advance from the soup.
Chicken: You can also use chicken breast if you prefer, but the dark chicken adds so much more flavor and the chicken thighs stay nice and tender. Use kitchen sheers to easily trim off any excess fat.
Pasta: You can use any kind of pasta or cut of pasta you like. Wide egg noodles or the fusili are common.
Gluten Free: To keep this chicken noodle soup gluten free, make sure to use gluten free pasta. If using gluten free pasta I highly recommend cooking the pasta in a separate pot, and adding the pasta to the soup just before serving – this helps the pasta from falling apart when stored in the soup. I really love using Banza pasta. If you are using a regular wheat pasta they may hold together better, therefore you could cook your pasta directly in the soup during the last few minutes of simmering time.
Shortcuts for when you’re sick: If you are making this soup when you’re sick, you can skip a few steps to make this soup even easier: 1) skip searing the chicken, just add it to the pot of soup once all the ingredients are added and allow it to cook while the soup simmers. 2) omit the white wine 3) omit the herb bundle (maybe add a little dried herbs to the veggies while they cook instead). 4) omit the sliced carrots and celery and just used the chopped veggies. All of these steps add a lot of flavor, but if you just want something a little easier then skipping a few steps will make cooking while you’re sick do-able. Also, you could easily used some store bought rotisserie chicken, or leftover instant pot whole chicken, chop it up and add it in the end just to heat the chicken through….that would make for an extra easy soup.
