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Feeling a little "Under the Weather?"

Jennifer Chandler

Today is National Chicken Noodle Soup day!

While most chicken noodle soups are accredited to Grandma’s, my favorite recipe belongs to my Dad. It not only cures all, but it is so good you’ll want a bowl even when you are well!

The key to a good chicken noodle soup is the broth.  It is important to use bone-in chicken because a lot of flavor comes from the marrow in the bones.  It is also important to use a delicious stock as the base. Slowly cooking the chicken and vegetables in chicken stock rather than water imparts a richer flavor to the soup. Homemade stock is always best but not always practical. There are a lot of delicious stocks and broths available on your grocery shelves. Let taste be your judge. Store-bought products like cans of broth are great short-cuts.

Another trick to making your chicken soup rich and flavorful is to give the chicken and vegetables a quick sauté before adding the stock. The browning of the chicken will add a depth of flavor to your soup.

As for which cut of chicken to use, it really is a matter of taste.  I prefer to use breasts because my family likes white meat better.  Chicken thighs are a great alternative for dark meat lovers.  You could also use a whole chicken but the cooking time will be longer than if using pieces.

One last important tip to making this simple soup sublime is to add your noodles just before serving.  If the noodles sit in the soup too long they will absorb the broth and become mushy.

That old saying really is true … a homemade bowl of chicken soup really is good for the soul!

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!

Chicken Noodle Soup

  • 2 split bone in, skin on chicken breasts (about 1 3/4 pounds)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion (1 small onion)
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery (about 2 ribs)
  • 1/2 cup finely diced carrots (about 2 carrots)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 4 cups egg noodles, cooked per the package directions

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pot. Add the chicken and sear until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Drain all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pot. Add the onion, celery, carrots, bay leaf, and rosemary. Sauté, stirring often, until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the stock and return the chicken to the pot. Over high heat, bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a large bowl to cool. Keep the broth warm in the pot. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Shred the chicken meat into 2-inch pieces.

Season the broth with salt and pepper to taste. Discard the bay leaf. Return the chicken to the pot and reheat the soup until the chicken is warmed through.  Place the cooked egg noodles in the serving bowl and ladle the hot soup over the top.

Serves 6.

Printed with permission from The Southern Pantry Cookbook by Jennifer Chandler.

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.