Growing up, whenever I was sick, my mom would make chicken noodle soup. From her perspective it was a quick and easy way to get SOMEthing in my belly and force a kid to add some veggies to her diet. As most kids are, I was a pretty picky eater and didn’t LOVE vegetables. Today, I wonder why I wasted so much time rioting against vegetables that are so clearly delicious and good for you. 🙂
Fast-forward to adulthood and this simple recipe has stuck with me through the years, albeit with a few tweaks to make it my own. Now, whenever I have a long day or one of us is sick, this is a go-to recipe I am guaranteed won’t take long to prepare but will cure what that ails ya.
As are most of my recipes, this recipe is totally customizable based on tastes and preferences. Fresh cilantro and/or parsley is not REQUIRED for this recipe, but HIGHLY recommended. Trust me – these herbs bring a bright flavor to the soup that is indescribably delicious and takes this recipe to another level.
Feel free to add other veggies as you see fit. I’ve added arugula, spinach, leeks, zucchini and more! Be creative!
Serve with crusty bread to complete the meal and to soak up all of that delicious broth. I’m hungry just thinking about this dish!
Place a soup pot over medium heat and heat oil until it coats the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and basil. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are softened. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for about 5 minutes, until noodles are tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in cilantro and/or parsley (optional) and serve immediately. I typically use chicken breast tenderloins for this recipe. To prepare the chicken for your soup, salt and pepper them liberally on all sides (for a bit of a different flavor, you could also use lemon pepper here in place of pepper). It is the seasoning that helps create a crunchy "sear" on the chicken that is SO delicious when incorporated into the soup. Heat a skillet and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to medium high heat. Lay chicken in pan and cook for about 4 minutes per side, until cooked through and browned. Allow chicken to cool enough that you can handle and shred/roughly chop.Quick and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
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