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This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is absolutely delicious and is, without a doubt, a great way to help you or a loved one feel better when sick. This recipe is one that my own mother made for me when I was growing up and sick, and sometimes she still brings it over when I am not feeling well (she really is the best!). This Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is now a staple in my kitchen and a must for the upcoming winter months and cold+flu season. Enjoy!
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
2016-11-27 06:18:37
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
2 hr
Total Time
2 hr 30 min
Ingredients
- 4 bone in, skin off split chicken breasts
- 8-10 cups of water
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 carrots
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 8 cups baby spinach
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 box fusilli noodles
Instructions
- Place bone-in chicken breasts in a large pot. Pour the 8 cups of water over the chicken breasts and make sure that the chicken is fully submerged in the water (you can add an extra cup of water or 2 if you need, or just wiggle around the chicken so that it is all covered). Add in the bay leaf, 2 stalks of celery, 1 carrot (halved), 1/2 yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, the peppercorns, and 1 tsp of kosher salt. (just toss in the whole 1/2 of the onion and the whole carrot + celery, its just to add flavor to the broth for now).
- Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat so that it is lightly simmering for about 2 hours.
- When cooking time is complete, using tongs gently pull the chicken out of the broth and set on a large cutting board. Allow the chicken to cool so that you can handle it with your hands.
- While the chicken is cooling, set a strainer over a separate large bowl or pot. Gently pour the stock into the strainer so that the broth goes into the bowl/pot and everything else in the broth is strained out so that it is clean. Discard the contents in the strainer and set aside the broth for now.
- Using your hands, gently pull apart the chicken from the bone and remove all of the bone from chicken. It is VERY important to get all of the bones out of the chicken, which is a little tricky considering all of the tiny bones in the chicken breast. Double check your work carefully and discard all of the bones, leaving the shredded chicken aside for now.
- Dice your other 1/2 of onion, 2 stalks of celery, and 1 large carrot.
- In the empty pot over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the diced carrots, onion, and celery with a little bit of salt and pepper to season it and saute until tender, about 8 minutes.
- Pour broth back into the pot with the sauteed veggies.
- Add desired amount of the pulled chicken (depending on the size of your chicken breasts, you may have too much, If this happens I usually reserve about a cup or so of the pulled chicken to toss onto salads for the week!)
- In a separate pot, boil water and cook pasta according to package instructions.
- Meanwhile, add spinach into the soup and stir until it is wilted in the soup (you may need to do this in 2-3 batches). Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
- Place desired amount of cooked pasta in the bottom of a soup bowl. Ladle soup over the noodles.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Whole30/Paleo Option: peel and dice 1-2 russet potato(s). Place in the soup with the chicken and let simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.
- Gluten Free Option: Use Brown Rice Noodles!
The Defined Dish https://thedefineddish.com/
made it tonight and it was excellent!
Can you use chicken thighs ?