Secret Chicken Noodle Soup

There is nothing more comforting and warming than a bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. I have a secret recipe that will change how you make chicken soup forever (promise!). The ingredient list may seem ordinary and pretty straightforward, but it’s the method that will create the most richly colored and full flavored soup. The key is to purée the vegetables that have simmered in the stock and then add the purée back to the broth. Not only does it create the most beautiful orangey-yellow color, but it packs in a ton of healthy vegetables without even noticing it – a perfect way to “sneak” in veggies for kids! This recipe has been in my family for many years and it is a consistent hit every time we make it. I will explain how to do it all in the steps below. I guarantee you’ll love this to-die-for chicken soup!

Secret Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

Stock
1 3 lb (~1.4 kg) whole chicken, preferably organic
3 large carrots, roughly chopped
4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 yellow or white onions, peeled and left whole
2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
6 sprigs fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
water, to cover

To Finish
1 cup carrots, chopped
1/3 cup white or yellow onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery stalks, chopped (leaves removed)
1 chicken bouillon cube
Shredded chicken (from stock)
2 cups cooked egg noodles, to taste

Directions

Add all stock ingredient to a very large stockpot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer covered for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or until chicken is very tender.

Remove chicken from pot and reserve.

Remove carrots, onions and celery from pot and reserve separately.

Strain remaining soup to another large pot using a fine sieve, so you are only left with the clear broth.

Once the broth has cooled, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) until the fat rises to the top.

Carve the chicken and reserve all of the white and dark meat you’d like to put in the soup. Discard the bones and other pieces that you do not want.

Place the cooked carrots, onions and celery that you took from the stock into a food processor. Add about 1/3 cup of broth.

Process until the mixture is very smooth. Reserve.

Take the broth out of the refrigerator and skim off all of the fat that rose to the top. Discard the fat.

Place the broth back into your stockpot that has been rinsed off. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down until it is simmering.

Add your puréed vegetables to the broth and stir so it is all incorporated.

This is what the broth looked like BEFORE I added the purée:

And here it is AFTER:

Next, add your extra chopped raw carrots, onions and celery to the pot.

Cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables tender. (You may need to turn the heat up a bit).

Add shredded chicken pieces and cooked noodles and heat through.

Serve in bowls and enjoy!

Secret Chicken Noodle Soup

 

Author:

Janelle

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Ingredients

Stock

• 1 3 lb (~1.4 kg) whole chicken, preferably organic
• 3 large carrots, roughly chopped
• 4 celery stalks, roughly chopped
• 2 yellow or white onions, peeled and left whole
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• water, to cover

To Finish

• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• ⅓ cup white or yellow onions, chopped
• ½ cup celery stalks, chopped (leaves removed)
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• Shredded chicken (from stock)
• 2 cups cooked egg noodles, to taste

Instructions

1. Add all stock ingredient to a very large stockpot. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer covered for 1½ – 2 hours or until chicken is very tender.
2. Remove chicken from pot and reserve.
3. Remove carrots, onions and celery from pot and reserve separately.
4. Strain remaining soup to another large pot using a fine sieve, so you are only left with the clear broth.
5. Once the broth has cooled, place it in the refrigerator for a few hours (or overnight) until the fat rises to the top.
6. Carve the chicken and reserve all of the white and dark meat you’d like to put in the soup. Discard the bones and other pieces that you do not want.
7. Place the cooked carrots, onions and celery that you took from the stock into a food processor. Add about ⅓ cup of broth.
8. Process until the mixture is very smooth. Reserve.
9. Take the broth out of the refrigerator and skim off all of the fat that rose to the top. Discard the fat.
10. Place the broth back into your stockpot that has been rinsed off. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat down until it is simmering.
11. Add your puréed vegetables to the broth and stir so it is all incorporated.
12. Next, add your extra chopped raw carrots, onions and celery to the pot.
13. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables tender. (You may need to turn the heat up a bit).
14. Add shredded chicken pieces and cooked noodles and heat through.
15. Serve!

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