With tons of chicken, vegetables, and thick egg noodles, this healthy, Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup is perfect for days when you need to put a little love in your bowl. This large soup recipe is ready in a little over an hour, and is as filling as it is healthful.
What size should chopped vegetables be in a soup?
The size of the vegetables in soup can make a big difference. You want to be able to get a little bit of everything onto each spoonful. This chicken noodle soup starts with the very basic onion,, celery, and carrot base. Chop onion small so that as they cook they nearly disappear into the soup. The onions should be a fine dice, and the garlic should be pressed or minced. Cut carrots and celery a bit larger (around ½ inch) and into somewhat even pieces. Pieces that are a bit larger will stay together and be really pleasant to eat.
Season your vegetables before adding stock and water.
Season your vegetables with salt and dry spices before adding stock. The salt will bring out the flavor in the sauteed vegetables and the dry herbs will wake up a bit in the heat and oil. The dry herbs and spices will also integrate better if they are cooked first with the vegetables.
Which is better for making chicken soup: stock, broth, or bouillon cubes?
Each of these items has a place in my kitchen. I use stock when I need some added salt and depth, but I want to add more of my own spices. It is great for gravies and sauces.
Broth and bouillon can be used for the same purposes. Broth is very flavorful and fully spiced. Bouillon cubes are just dehydrated, concentrated broth that can be added to hot water and reconstituted. They are great for making soups in a short amount of time and when you don’t have a fully stocked spice cabinet. Even when I am going to simmer a homemade soup for a long time I add a little bit of broth instead of just plain water.
Use sodium broth for a healthier soup.
What is the best way to cook chicken for a Hearty, Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup.
Gently simmering chicken pieces is the best way to get tender pieces of meat in the soup and to add flavor. You can use Chicken on the bone with the skin removed if you want a richer soup. I use chicken breasts for a healthier soup and lighter broth.
Bring the veggies and broth to a low simmer and then add the chicken. You don’t want to bring the broth to a rolling boil because it can actually make the chicken tough.
When do I add the noodles to the noodle soup?
This is a trick question. I recommend boiling noodles separately and keeping them separate. When you add noodles to soup, they absorb all of the liquid. You lose the broth and ruin the noodles because they get thick and gummy.
Adding the noodles to the soup is fine if you are going to finish the pot the same day you make the soup. If you intend to have leftovers, you should keep noodles separate.
Chicken Noodle Soup is one of my family favorites. We also love Hearty Meat Lasagna , Chicken Tortilla Soup, and Split Pea Soup.
“I feed on good soup, not beautiful language.”- Moliere
Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion
- 4 Carrots
- 4 Celery Stalks
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 1 Tsp Black Pepper
- 1 Tsp Dry Thyme
- 1 Tsp Chili Powder
- 8 Cups Chicken Stock
- 4 Cups Water
- 1/2 Lb Egg Noodles
Instructions
- Prepare your vegetables by peeling and chopping the onion into a fine dice. Next wash and peel carrots and cut into 1/2" pieces. Clean the celery and cut into 1/2" pieces as well.
- Heat a large soup pot on medium heat. Add olive oil to the pot. Then add chopped vegetables and saute. Once the onions have softened slightly, add the salt, pepper, chili powder, and dry thyme. Continue cooking the seasoned veggies until they onions are translucent.
- Add 8 cups of broth and 4 cups of water to the pot and stir in the vegetables to make sure nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring the broth to a low simmer.
- Add boneless skinless to the bottom and simmer on low for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes remove the chicken from the pot and shred into small pieces and return them to soup. Let the soup simmer for another 10 minutes.
- In a separate pot boil egg noodles. Salt the water generously and cook egg noodles according to the package.
- Serve by placing a generous portion of egg noodles on the bottom of a bowl and ladle over soup.
You had me at filling and healthy. I’m always looking for meals that are packed with flavor and nutrients and this hearty chicken noodle soup looks perfect.
Times like these call for a homestyle classic like this chicken noodle soup. I feel better already!
I would love this comforting dish tonight. So full of flavour and absolutely good for the body and soul.
Love this recipe! Such a tasty and easy soup. I will definitely be making this one again!
Thanks so much for this recipe and the tip on boiling noodles separately and keeping them separate. My soup always turned out gummy so now I know why!