Food for the Soul: Chicken Noodle Soup

PUBLISHED ON: 10.07.2012

Homemade Soup to me is soul satisfying.  I crave it.  I could probably eat it everyday without complaint. There is a connection to soup that runs deep.  You can make soup out of most anything, and that means  everyone can eat it, it is not an exclusive meal.  The most basic soups can provide comfort and nourishment to our bodies.

There is a conversation about eating soup that takes place at my house year round.  There is one side that insists that soup can only be enjoyed during the cooler months. The other side insists that soup is a can be enjoyed any day, anytime.  No one in my family wins the argument, we simply move to our respective corners with heels dug in deep.

Since North Florida is experiencing cooler temperatures (not autumn worthy temperatures) I have jumped on my soup making bandwagon…Drum roll, please……to the eye roll of my husband.  He does not want soup for dinner, at least not yet.  He is waiting for February, when he is cold and soup warms him.  Me?  I am ready to head out in our perceived cooler temperatures, and get rocking.

I am coming out of the gate with a really simple chicken noodle soup.  A few ingredients, a simmer on the stove, and it is ready.  If you have homemade chicken stock or want to make the effort, it is worth your time.  If not, a good store bought stock will work fine.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 6
Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients
1 whole chicken (2 split) chicken breast, bone-in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 quarts chicken stock
1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup medium-diced carrots ( 3 carrots)
2 cups wide egg noodles or other hearty pasta
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil.  Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through.  When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred or dice the chicken meat.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot and add the celery, carrots and noodles.  Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked.  Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through.
Enjoy!

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