On By Barbara StroudIn FOOD, HEALTH, Recipe
I’ve made so many different chicken noodle soup recipes. Most were good, a few weren’t great… None were the WOW recipe I had been searching for. Then one day as I sniffled, sneezed and coughed with the crud that’s going around, an email appeared in my Inbox… Tyler Florence’s Chicken Noodle Soup. JUST WHA T THE DOCTOR ORDERED! What could I lose? I mean chicken noodle soup has been proven to help make you feel better when you’re sick… so off I went to hunt and gather my ingredients and I threw together a perfectly wonderful soup. It was fabulous… I deviated from the recipe slightly… using only chicken breasts (they were GIGANTIC) instead of a whole chicken, which I don’t have a pot large enough to stuff one into… See my notes at the end… Thank you Tyler!
Before you start, watch this video (Food Network, Tyler Florence), it shows in 3 minutes how he made the stock and the soup… it could not be easier – The video begins with a quick commercial and then shows the soup making process in short order.
TYLER FLORENCE’S CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP (5 stars!)
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 3garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 2celeryribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1bay leaf
- 2 quarts chicken stock, recipe follows
- 8 ounces dried wideegg noodles
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful freshflat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Directions
Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in thechicken stockand bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Chicken Stock:
- 1 wholefree-range chicken(about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed,gibletsdiscarded
- 2carrots, cut in large chunks
- 3 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
- 2 large whiteonions, quartered
- 1 head of garlic, halved
- 1turnip, halved
- 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
- 2bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Place the chicken and vegetables in a large stockpot over medium heat. Pour in only enough cold water to cover (about 3 quarts); too much will make the broth taste weak. Toss in the thyme, bay leaves, andpeppercorns, and allow it to slowly come to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and gentlysimmerfor 1 to 1 1/2 hours, partially covered, until the chicken is done. As it cooks, skim any impurities that rise to the surface; add a little more water if necessary to keep the chicken covered while simmering.
Carefully remove the chicken to a cutting board. When its cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones; hand-shred the meat into a storage container.
Carefullystrainthe stock through a fine sieve into another pot to remove the vegetable solids. Use the stock immediately or if you plan on storing it, place the pot in a sink full of ice water and stir to cool down the stock. Cover and refrigerate for up to one week or freeze.
Yield: 2 quarts
📝 MY NOTES: I only had 2# chicken breasts with bones and skin, so I made the stock as directed, adding just enough water to cover the chicken. 2 chicken breasts was plenty of meat, however, I had to supplement the stock by using one carton of Kitchen Basics Chicken Stock since mine didn’t make as much. I caution against using ALL chicken stock from a carton. By cooking the chicken with these veggies that are unpeeled and quick to throw together it imparts such a fabulous homemade taste, I would not skip that step.
Manischewitz Wide Egg Noodles – Image: Meijer
I also didn’t have fresh thyme or bay leaves. Next time I will use dried bay leaves again, but buy some fresh thyme, it will have a fresher taste. The recipe calls for 8 oz. of dried wide egg noodles. In the video he uses a few handfuls. Since I’ve made soup in the past that has sucked up all the liquid with the noodles I used 3 handfuls, about 1/2 of a 12 oz. package. I also used Manischewitz Wide Egg Noodles, which can be found at your local grocery store, usually in the Jewish section. They are a bit thinner and easier to eat. Very taste.
This soup was fabulous and made quite a bit – hope you enjoy!
Catch you back here tomorrow!
