Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter or olive oil

1 medium onion, diced (about 1.5 cups)

2-3 carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)

2-3 stalks celery, diced (about 1 cup)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2-3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (about 12 oz.)

6 cups chicken broth

1-2 dry bay leaves

1 1/2 cups (4 oz.) dry pasta noodles

1-2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh dill, minced (optional)

Directions

Fill a small pot with water and start bringing it to a boil to cook the pasta while you start the soup.

Add butter or olive oil and the onion, celery, and carrots to a Dutch oven or large soup pot. Cook 5-7 minutes over medium heat, until the veggies are mostly softened.

Then, add the garlic cloves, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute more, till fragrant.

Next, add the chicken to the pot and pour in the broth. Stir to combine, then tuck the bay leaf into the soup.

Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the soup 15-30 minutes while you cook the pasta. (The flavor will develop more the longer you simmer, but 15 minutes will be enough to cook the veggies.)

To avoid over-cooking the noodles, cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water, according to package directions. I usually under-cook the noodles by 1-2 minutes, since they will continue to soften in the hot soup.

Drain the pasta noodles and add to the soup pot, along with some fresh herbs. Remove the bay leaves. Taste and season the soup with salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, or more herbs, as desired.

Ladle into bowls and enjoy warm. Leftover chicken noodle soup will keep 3-4 days in the fridge.

If you prefer more herbs:

Add 1/2-3/4 teaspoon dried rosemary (or 1/2-3/4 Tbsp. fresh), 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1-11/2 tsp. fresh), and 1/4-1/2 teaspoon dried ground/rubbed sage

If you need to cook the chicken for the soup:

Make the soup as directed until you add the broth. When the soup comes to a boil, add 12 oz. boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken thighs, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook at a low simmer 20-25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the pot, shred or dice, then return to the soup.

Notes

Can easily make gluten-free by swapping the pasta