Chicken noodle soup. it’s the cure-all, isn’t it? The go-to comfort food. It makes you feel better from the minute you smell it simmering on the stove.But I have a confession: I’ve never made it.
I’m not much of a soup connoisseur and can’t say I really enjoy eating one. But after careful deliberation, I want to give this hearty soup another chance. Because I have a confession: I’ve never made it.
This chicken noodle soup received rave reviews and quite a bit of love on Reddit’s r/vegan community. As of January 1, 2020, it had amassed 26,229 upvotes. It was one of the top-voted soup recipes for two weeks. And many online commenters lauded its health benefits. At least, they praised the combination of potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions and leeks cooked in a soothing honey alta soup.
The recipe calls for making a base soup with stock, but I was unable to find any carrots to use. Instead, I used potatoes, you can buy pre-cooked at the produce aisle, or frozen russet potatoes (yams, sweet corn, green beans, daikon, etc.). Your substitute chicken soup can also be prepared in this way. Follow the recipe exactly except skip steps 5, 6, and 8, substituting non-vegan chicken stock.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Because I have a gigantic chicken, I wasn’t able to save room by using black beans and not shelling the parsnips, but you can. Just omit the roast chicken from step 2 — parmesan works perfectly. Vegetarian vermouth works well as a replacement to the chicken stock.
A delicious side dish — without re-heating the soup — is a creamy, pulled mac & cheese.
The next morning, you’ll probably crave another one, too. Well, nun-CHICKEN SOUP.
Well, I know exactly what you’re thinking. Not your miracle cure for health and positivity. Not even your favourite soup that you’ve made dozens of times, but your mom’s homemade version of it.
Easy 30-minute Chicken Noodle Soup
There might be argument after argument to the contrary. Chicken soup might just bring you down but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make your own version at home. Did you know soup can be an excellent source of antioxidants?
Not only that, but it’s a great way to boost your immunity. Reported here:
Antioxidants protect our bodies from free radicals and damage caused by free oxygen atoms, which are believed to be the cause of many ailments.
BBC News
So, if you avoid carcinogens in your diet like kale or broccoli, make sure to incorporate more soup in your diet.
Soup is versatile and can be cooked any way you like it. It can be sweet, sour, salty, and some have even started including mushrooms in their versions. And if you’re in need of some comfort food right now, why not make your very own version?
Recipe:
Serves: 2
Time: 20 minutes
- 2 avocados (skin on, deseeded)
- 1 small red onion (diced)
- One teaspoons minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or sugar)
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 chicken bouquets (about 12 ounces)
- Chopped fresh chives (optional)
To Make the Soup:
- Cook the avocados in a large soup pot over low heat for about 10 minutes or until they are very soft. Remove them from the pot and note that the avocados will not be fully cooked, but they should be quite soft.
- Meanwhile, heat the vegetable or canola oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is transparent. Combine the garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant. Add the salt and chicken stock, bring to a boil, and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken bouquets and continue to cook and stir for another 15 minutes.
- And from the minute you start eating it, it’s really no different from drinking a cup of black coffee. And from the minute you finish off the chicken soup, it’s just as good as being awake, so the caffeine buzz doesn’t really stack up.
The thing is, when I was younger, after eating a bowl of chicken soup, I was so full from it, I wouldn’t want anything else for dinner. I was starved for comfort. A bowl of soup lifted my mood a little. But it wasn’t much. After dinner times, when I’d be feeling quite down, sometimes I’d eat just a biscuit from the oatmeal.
Perfect Chicken Noodle Soup
Homemade chicken noodle soup is one of the best comfort foods you can make. With just a handful of ingredients and a few basic techniques, it’s easy to put together and enjoy whenever you need it. This is an adaptation of a recipe I came across in Better Homes and Gardens last year. I changed only a few minor things, including replacing the fried eggs with fresh.
I transitioned from slow-cooker to Instant Pot (with a big lid, mind you) and, since this whole cheesy chicken noodle soup thing has quickly become my go-to, I haven’t been able to go back.
RYE
RYE wanted to feature more Slow Cooker recipes in Britain, and this recipe fits the bill. Watch the video to see how easy it is to cook this delicious seasonal soup, and don’t forget to pinch yourself, you’ve made a huge effort to get healthy, fit, and more beautiful in 2021.
Plus, it benefits your health in more ways than a plain old chicken broth, this low-carb, low-fat creation is packed with good-for-you vitamins and hydrating amino acids.
Chicken with aromatics
We start by simmering chicken with aromatics and tomatoes (tart red onions, garlic and shallots or spring onions are traditional choices) until almost cooked through. Then, we add spinach and calcium-rich milk, bringing our total to about 4 cups (150g) of soup.
A Note on Noodles: Most store-bought chicken noodle soups use low-fat, egg-based soups where the fat usually prevents the chicken from getting tender and the noodles from tasting their best. When a recipe calls for low-fat noodles (look for the “low-fat” or “low-sodium” label on the package), always choose low-fat and always use packed (not dry) chicken.
Low-Fat or Low-Sodium?
Ask your noodles-fan Helping Hand to try out three different varieties — low-fat, low-sodium and low-carb, to see which provides the best noodle texture and flavor.
- Low-Fat: Recipe below includes chicken broth (which can be low-fat or zero-fat depending on the brand).
- Low-Sodium: Recipe below is lower in sodium due to the addition of tomatoes and cauliflower.
- Low Carb: Recipe below is 100% base with tahini, a Mediterranean-style paste traditionally made with eggs and lemon.
How to store: Store your chicken soup in the fridge and use within a day. When you reheat it (which is important, since it thickens), add a splash of chicken broth to prevent the soup from separating. If using broth, don’t reheat it in the microwave since the heat kills the healthy collagen. Instead, skim and discard the fat. You can store your chicken soup in the fridge for up to a month, but remember once it touches a hot surface, such as a hot skillet or over a burner, it’s no longer a low-sodium soup.
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I like to make mine with a combination of mushrooms, carrots, kale, and Thai basil. My radish pieces get chopped up into tiny pieces, mixed with some olive oil and a generous splash of chicken broth, and then sautéed briefly in a bit of butter until seasoned. When finished, they get tossed with fresh cilantro and a generous drizzle of Sriracha soy sauce.
You can easily double this recipe or triple it for extra fuss-free fun. It makes a weeknight meal that you won’t forget quickly.
Chick-noodle soup is a staple among Asian cuisine. The flexibility and versatility of this recipe exemplify the ability of Asian cooking to transporting you to faraway places and times. I first came across homemade chicken noodle soup over a decade ago while staying in a Dutchman’s home in Northern California. At first, all I could eat was the soup’s basic stock, stewed and strained chicken, noodles, and vegetables.
I was hooked, and set out to make my own at home as soon as possible. It wasn’t so much a task as a new love story with ingredients I had never encountered before. Things snowballed from there, I got more serious about making my own noodle soup, started to experiment with new combinations, and consistently seek recipes that are both different from what I’m familiar with and wildly delicious.
Here’s a great recipe to round out your homemaking journey with hearty comfort food.
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