Recipe Tuesday - Chicken Noodle Soup

While it's not entirely healthy, after all, it's got pasta in it, it's good and good for you.  It seems that my homemade chicken noodle soup has become sought after with friends who are sick.  Of course, I'm always happy to make it for a family or friends in need. It's simple and good and with so many people out there who are down and out with this lousy flu bug, I thought I would share my recipe so that you can make it for your loved ones. 

There are really no measurements in this one, you can't screw it up.  Make sure to taste it to make sure you've got enough salt, it's the key.

Barb's Chicken Noodle Soup

2.5lbs. chicken parts (breasts and thighs with the bone....whatever you like!)
several carrots, peeled
two large onions, diced
several celery sticks, diced
chopped garlic
olive oil
kosher salt
1/2 fresh lemon
parsley (fresh or dried)
dill weed (optional)
bay leaves (optional)
red pepper flakes (optional)
1 large bag Kluski homestyle noodles

In a large stock pot, add olive oil and saute onions, garlic, and celery for about 5 minutes, until soft.  Add chicken to the pot, and cover the pot with water, several inches above the chicken.  Add additional stalks of celery that include the leaves.  You don't need to chop these, just toss them in.  Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pot, then toss the lemon into the pot.  Add spices, pretty much anything you like.  My combo of a parsley, a bit of dill, bay leaves, and a few red pepper flakes works well. Add about a palm full of kosher salt.  Bring pot to a boil, cover the pot, and turn down the heat to simmer for an hour or two.  The longer the better. 

Remove the lemon, the long celery stalks, and the chicken from the pot.  Pull the meat off of the chicken bones and discard the bones and the skin.  Shred the chicken meat and add it back into the pot.  Taste the soup, it will probably need more salt, so add it as needed. Bring the soup back to a boil and add the noodles.  Cook until the noodles are al dente, then serve with a great bread and some butter. 

This soup will make anybody feel better!  I swear I make it once/week in the winter.  If you'd like, you can substitute brown rice or whole wheat noodles for the Kluski noodles if you'd like. It's all good.
++++++++++++++++
Ginger and I met Tina for lunch at The Cheesecake Factory yesterday to celebrate Miss T's birthday and holy cow we had fun.  We probably could have stayed there all afternoon without blinking an eye, it was so much fun.  And yeah, we all had dessert.  Shameful, but yummy too!

Comments

[Mar1anneC]

That soup recipe looks alot like how my mom makes it. Dill really makes the chicken soup taste the best. Of course the Jewish way to do it is with Matzo balls. Yumm!

[Jaime]

That sounds so yummy! I love soup and I'm definately going to have to try this one out! I love your blog header too! It's absolutley beautiful! :)

[Sue]

Love that you use kluskie noodles. Yum!!! Try making homemade kluskie/dumpling type noodles. One egg, flour and milk to a pancake consistency. Make sure soup is boiling and stream the noodle batter in slowly. The noodle WILL suck up some of the soup liquid. You can make as much as you want. Almost like a dumpling. So yummy!!!!!

[tina]

My birthday lunch was delightful! I loved being with you both! Thanks for posting the picture of the 3 of us... I love it. : )
Wow-that picture of the cheesecake looks daggone good! Man, was it tasty!! Thanks for the yummy treat!!
xo
Miss T.

[Jan C.]

Nice picture of three hot babes!

[Robin]

That soup sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Oh and cheesecake!

[beth]

that soup is being made right now for supper... thanks so much i think that red pepper flakes are a super addition!

[Heather]

oooh, yum! I swear I'm going to plan my Tuesday menus around your blog Barb. That sounds so good!

And that picture looks so yummy! I want!

[Mary]

wahhh, I've been craving cheesecake so bad, I'm off to NJ this w/end to go get me some :) Love the pics and thanks for the recipe :)

[Tahera]

I love Chicken Noodle Soup. Thanks for sharing your recipe.