Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup
"We always keep frozen cooked chicken breasts and lots of canned chicken broth on hand. If you do too, this is definitely a quick and easy main-course soup. Round it out with some hot sourdough bread and butter or crackers of your choice. Times do not include time for preparing cooked chicken."
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 13
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salt, for pasta water
- 8 (14 1/2 ounce) cans reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 3 -4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 1⁄2 inches fresh ginger, peeled and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 medium yukon gold potato, peeled and cut in 1/3 inch cubes
- 1 cup sliced carrot, cut in 1/4 inch thick slices
- 1 medium onion, cut in 1/3 inch pieces
- 1 cup sliced celery, cut in 1/2 inch slices
- 1 cup chopped cleaned mushroom, preferably cremini,to taste (optional)
- 2 -3 well-seasoned cooked chicken breasts, cut in 1/2 inch pieces (See Note *)
- 8 -12 ounces uncooked noodles or 8 -12 ounces short pasta, of your choice
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
directions
- In a large saucepan, combine 6 cans of the chicken broth, garlic, and ginger, bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and reduce by half.
- Fish out ginger pieces, but leave garlic slices in the broth.
- While broth is reducing, fill a large saucepan 3/4 full of water, bring to a boil, add salt, if desired, and stir to dissolve.
- Add noodles or pasta, and cook until almost al dente, about 8 minutes, and then drain.
- Return the reduced broth to a boil, add the potato, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots and onion, and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add the celery, optional mushrooms, if using, chicken, and cooked pasta, return to a boil, and cook about 2 minutes.
- Add 1-2 additional cans of additional broth, depending on how rich and thick you like your soup or how far you want to stretch it, return to a boil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
- We make these big batches, even though there are only two of us, and freeze the excess in 1 quart Ziploc freezer bags, so we always have lots of different homemade soups on hand.
- Each 1 quart bag will serve 2 quite nicely, if accompanied by some hot sourdough bread, butter, and a small salad, or serve as a nice first course.
- *Note: We cook big batches of chicken breasts when they are on sale, then bone them out, and freeze the cooked meat in about 1 lb packages for quick dishes or convenience when fixing dishes like this.
- To make, season chicken generously on both sides with seasoned salt, granulated garlic, Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (if you like it spicy), and pepper, and rub with olive oil.
- Wrap tightly in aluminum foil, place in a baking dish, and bake in a 375 degree F oven for 1 hour.
- Turn off oven, and allow chicken to set for 1 hour.
- Remove from oven, and allow to cool to room temperature without unwrapping.
- Remove skin and debone breasts, saving both for making stock if desired.
- Freeze meat in Ziploc bags, and thaw as needed.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Toby Jermain
Houston, TX
I WAS retired oilfield trash since 1999, who has lived in Houston TX for the last 25 years, though I'm originally from California. I'm Texan by choice, not by chance! I am now working in Algeria 6 months a year, so I guess that gives new meaning to the term SEMI-retired. I grew up in restaurants and worked in them for 13 years while getting through high school and college, working as everything from dishwasher to chef, including just about everything in between. At odd intervals I also waited tables and tended bar, which gave me lots of incentive to stay in school and get my engineering degree.
During the 33 years since, I have only cooked for pleasure, and it HAS given me a great deal of pleasure. It's been my passion. I love to cook, actually more than I love to eat. I read cookbooks like most people read novels.
My wife and I both enjoy cooking, though she isn't quite as adventurous as I am. I keep pushing her in that direction, and she's slowly getting there.
We rarely go out to eat, because there are very few restaurants that can serve food as good as we can make at home. When we do go out, it's normally because we are having an emergency junk-food attack.
My pet food peeves are (I won't get into other areas): are people who post recipes that they have obviously NEVER fixed; obvious because the recipe can't be made because of bad instructions, or that are obvious because it tastes horrible. I also detest people who don't indicate that a recipe is untried, even when it is a good recipe. Caveat emptor!
