Chicken Noodle Soup

I have 2 sick boys at home and what else is more appropriate on a cold winter day than some homemade chicken noodle soup.  The store made variety is always good in a pinch but with the increase in sodium and sketchy looking meat I felt that making a pot of my own would be much more comforting.  I didn't realize how easy chicken noodle soup is to make until I actually did it!  Super easy and I got to use my new Dutch Oven that I got for Christmas!  It's a win win for everyone!

Big chunks of veggies, soothing broth, this soup will become a family favorite!

TIPS:

• You can use fresh thyme sprigs instead of poultry seasoning, I prefer the different herbs in poultry seasoning
• Always salt and pepper each layer – the base, the stock and finished product. But go light on salt since you can’t take it away.
• Add as many veggies as you like. If you like a lot of carrots, then add more – it will only help the flavor!
• Short on time? Buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it up.
• Remember to season your raw chicken breast while you cook. I chopped the breast up into small cubes prior to cooking, adding salt, pepper, dried parsley, onion powder and garlic powder. You want the chicken to have it’s own similar flavor to the stock.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 4 chicken breast, cooked and chopped
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 4 large carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cups cooked pasta of your choice
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• salt and pepper
• poultry seasoning, about 3 tablespoons
• extra virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons

In a large pot, lightly coat the bottom with EVOO, add celery, onion and carrots. Stir until softened but not brown (about 5 minutes). Add a teaspoon of salt and pepper and teaspoon of poultry seasoning (more or less to your liking).
Add the chicken broth – I used organic, free range chicken broth. Add a little more salt and pepper and your poultry seasoning, about 2-3 tablespoons. Bring to a boil.
Add your precooked noodles and let simmer for 5 minutes. Make sure your noodles are hard-al dente as they will absorb liquid in the soup.
Add the cooked chicken and continue to simmer. Taste the broth and add more seasoning or salt/pepper to your liking.
You can garnish with fresh parsley leaves if desired. Serve in a bowl with a nice, crusty bread. Enjoy!

Serves 6