Granny’s Chicken Noodle Soup

You know the soup–the one trotted out when you were down with a cold; the one that would “fix you right up.”  Not surprisingly, Chicken Noodle Soup has been studied for its medicinal value.  The findings?  Not only is Chicken Noodle Soup an act of love and comfort, there is evidence it helps your body fight off respiratory illness! 

Here’s my easy-peasy version that tastes like Granny’s, but is ready to eat in just over an hour.  The Secret Weapon? Grandma’s Wide Egg Noodles, found in the frozen foods section of the grocery.  (Note: this is a Colorado-made product, you may need to find a substitute or contact the company if you are unable to locate them near you.)

First of all, gather your ingredients.  I use organic whenever possible.

1 1/2 pounds of chicken.  (I use boneless, skinless thighs–so weight is boneless.  I used to use breasts, but have found that the soup is “richer” using the dark meat.)

One 16 oz bag of Grandma’s frozen noodles.

One celery heart bunch, washed without separating the ribs from the base, chopped.

One medium onion, chopped.  (I personally like the flavor of a yellow onion for this soup)

4-5 carrots, sliced into “coins”.   (I’m a lazy cook, so I use baby carrots–they’re already peeled–in an amount that looks like how much celery I end up with.)

Two 32 oz boxes of chicken stock/broth.  (I use whichever organic broth is on sale–one always is!)

Cooking oil to saute the veggies and chicken.  (I like olive oil.)

Salt and pepper to taste.

Leave the unopened bag of noodles on the counter to thaw as you construct the rest of the soup.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and add about a tablespoon of oil (one turn of the pan–I never measure this.)

(Handy tip!  The reason to leave the celery all attached–it makes it uber-easy to chop up!)

Just cut off the dried tips and then cut on down to the base, including the leafy parts.  Discard/compost the base and tips, and add the rest to the pot.

Peel and roughly chop the onion, add it to the pot.

Peel (if you’re using THAT kind!) and slice carrots into “coins” about 1/4 inch thick.  Add them to the pot. 

Add salt and pepper to your taste.

Saute until veggies start to become tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Cut chicken into a large dice.  Add it to the pot.  I don’t remove the veggies first–I like all the flavors to meld.

(Safety note:  Be sure your knife is sharp, be sure you use a cutting board that you only use for raw meats.  Be sure to wash you hands before and after handling raw meat.) 

(Handy tip! Partially frozen chicken is WAY easier to cut.)

Continue to saute until the chicken is mostly cooked through.

Add both boxes of chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Open the bag of noodles and break apart into handfuls.  Pull noodles off the handfuls and drop into the boiling soup one at time to prevent sticking.

Let soup simmer until noodles are tender, about 30 minutes or so…try one and see if they’re “done” enough for you.

Cuddle up with a blanket on the couch and a warm bowl of love!

This soup is even more yummy the second day!  The noodles will tend to absorb the broth, so you may need to add more broth to reheat.  I used this soup to help Mr16 get over a cold faster earlier this year.  Hope you’re feeling better soon.