Why you should make chicken noodle soup
Making Chicken Noodle Soup at home is much better than buying a canned version. You can control the amount of salt and choose fresh vegetables for the best flavour. It takes very little time to prepare and cooks in one pot for easy cleaning afterwards. This meal provides a good balance of protein and carbohydrates in a single bowl.
Follow these 4 steps for chicken noodle soup
Prepare vegetables: Start by peeling and dicing the onion and slicing the carrots and celery. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the vegetables and cook them for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Stir them occasionally so they do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Cook chicken: Cut the chicken breasts into small bite sized pieces and add them to the saucepan. Stir the chicken with the vegetables until the outside is no longer pink. This helps to lock in the moisture before adding any liquid. Season the mixture with salt and pepper at this stage.
Simmer soup: Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring the liquid to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let the Chicken Noodle Soup simmer for about ten minutes. This allows the chicken to cook through completely and the vegetables to become tender. Skim any foam off the surface if needed.
Add noodles: Stir in the egg noodles and cook them for the time stated on the package. This usually takes about five to seven minutes until they are soft and ready to eat. Taste the broth and add more seasoning if you like. Serve the soup hot in deep bowls.
Tips and tricks for chicken noodle soup
Using a high quality stock will give your Chicken Noodle Soup a much deeper flavour. If you have leftover roast chicken you can use that instead of fresh breasts to save time. Simply add the cooked chicken at the end just to heat it through. You can also add fresh parsley or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving for extra brightness. Ensure you do not overcook the noodles as they can become too soft if left in the hot broth for too long.
If you plan to eat the soup later it is better to cook the noodles separately and add them to each bowl. This prevents the noodles from soaking up all the liquid while the soup sits in the fridge.
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carrot cake with cream cheese frosting or
prawn salad for sandwiches.
