Quick & Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

By Mariealicerayner @MarieRynr
 I grew up with a mother who could make a delicious soup out of anything.  Every time we had a roast dinner of any kind, we knew there would be a pot of soup to follow.
The bones from our Thanksgiving and Christmas turkey's got made into turkey vegetable soup.  Likewise the the bones from a Sunday Roast Chicken or even Roast Beef .  
 The bone from our Easter Ham always got used to make a delicious French Pea Soup.  We loved all of these soups. 
She made huge pots of these soups, many of them requiring simmering all day.  There would be enough for us to enjoy on the day and then she would freeze the rest to take out and heat up at other times when she was looking for a quick and easy supper for us to enjoy.
 Whenever we were poorly she would heat us up bowls of homemade chicken or turkey soup. Back in the Winter of 1999 when my second marriage broke I came down with an awful case of the flu. 
Mom had not spoken to me in months (dirty divorce), but when she heard that I was ill, she showed up on my doorstep with a container of her homemade soup. This not only helped me out with my flu but was the catalyst in other wounds being healed.
 Whenever any of us children went home to visit, we could always count on mom serving us a pot of her homemade soup on at least one of the nights we were there.  It became a right of passage and it was surely something we all really looked forward to.
I confess I also make a really great pot of soup, but that is largely down to the lessons taught to me by my much beloved mother.
 Making a good pot of soup can often be very time consuming, especially if you have to make the stock from scratch. Admittedly we don't always have the time to devote to this art or practice.
This recipe I am sharing with you today is a delicious substitute to use during those times when we have neither the time nor the inclination to make a soup from scratch.
 Barring my mother's homemade soup, this is the best simple chicken soup recipe. It uses very few ingredients and it goes together in a flash.
Plus its incredibly easy to make and very delicious!
 WHAT DO YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS SIMPLE SOUP RECIPE
Nothing out of the ordinary is required to make this delicious soup.  Just a few simple ingredients.
  • some good chicken stock (I like to use Knorr Homestyle stock bouillon packets)
  • carrots, onions and celery
  • noodles or pasta
  • a quantity of shredded or cubed cooked chicken breast
  • a knob of butter, some seasoning and a few herbs

As you can see very simple ingredients put together in a very simple way.
 HOW DO YOU MAKE THIS SIMPLE SOUP RECIPE
There is nothing complicated here.  You begin simply by melting the butter in a saucepan and sautéing the vegetables just until they begin to soften. 
Once you have softened the vegetables you add the stock, herbs and seasonings to the pan, bring them to the boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes. This helps to meld all of the flavors together.
 Next you add the noodles or pasta and cook for a further 10 minutes to soften the pasta. just to al dente, and finally you add the cubed or shredded chicken and just heat through, until everything is nice and hot and ready to spoon out into bowls.
This really is very simple to make and I admit it is probably one of the most delicious chicken noodle soups out there.
 Why settle for something that comes in a can and is substandard in taste and texture when you can have a really tasty bowl of soup with very little extra effort!
Egg noodles are of course what I normally use in this delicious soup, but I did not have any today.  Bow ties work just as well and are also quite attractive.
 You could add other vegetables if you really wanted to, but I like to keep things pretty simple and love the purity of this version.  I do sometimes add a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of dill weed.  But that is only occasionally.
I have also sized this recipe today to make only 2 - 3 servings. You can of course double it to feed more quite successfully.

I enjoyed this today with a crusty sour dough roll and some butter, but I have also enjoyed it in the past with crackers or with grilled cheese sandwiches.  It all depends on how hungry you are. The grilled cheese sandwich makes it eat like a main meal.
I hope you will be inspired to want to try this quick and easy chicken noodle soup recipe the next time you are pressed for time or feeling uninspired. If you keep some shredded or cubed cooked chicken breast in your freezer and a chicken good stock in the cupboard, you can rest assured that this tasty meal can be yours any time, any how. Enjoy!
    

Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Yield: 2 - 3Author: Marie RaynerPrep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 MinThis is a small batch recipe, designed to serve 2 to 3 people. Low in fat, it is quick and easy to make and oh-so-delicious! You can also make this tasty soup ahead of time, simply reheating when you want to eat. You may need to add a bit more chicken stock in that case.

Ingredients

  • 1 TBS butter
  • 1 small onion, peeled and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1 small stick of celery, trimmed and chopped (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2  medium carrot, peeled and sliced
  • pinch of salt
  • black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups (480ml) chicken stock 
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 3/4 cup (85g) dry pasta or noodles
  • 1/2 cup shredded or cubed cooked chicken breast meat

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan.  Add the vegetables. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the chicken stock, herbs and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the noodles/pasta.  Simmer for a further 10 minutes or so, until the pasta has softened to al dente, stirring occasionally. 
  4. Stir in the chicken and heat through.  Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.  Serve hot.

Notes:

Soup can be made up to three days ahead of time. Cool, uncovered, then chill in a tightly covered container. The noodles will absorb broth and it will thicken upon standing. When ready to reheat, thin the soup as needed with additional broth.

All nutritional data is calculated by the recipe card program and may not be entirely accurate.

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