Chicken Noodle Soup “Three Ways!”
Serves 6
Who doesn’t love chicken soup? Just like that soup company says, soup is good food. It’s even better when you make it yourself. You get more chicken and more noodles that way. Here are three fast soups that taste like they were slow cooked. Each one is so good, you’ll lose your noodle for them!
Ingredients
#1 Traditional, Quick Chicken Noodle Soup
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 5-6 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
- 3-4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 quarts chicken stock
- 1/2 pound extra-wide egg noodles
- 1 pound chicken tenders or chicken cutlets, chopped
- 1/4 cup dill, chopped
- 2 cups popcorn or white cheddar popcorn, for garnish (optional)
- 1 cup oyster crackers, for garnish (optional)
#2 Chicken Noodle Soup – Italian Style
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 5-6 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
- 3-4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 can tomato sauce (8 ounces)
- 1 can red beans (15 ounces), rinsed
- 1 can chickpeas (15 ounces), rinsed
- 1/2 pound whole wheat penne pasta
- 1 pound chicken tenders or chicken cutlets, chopped
- 2 cups parmesan pita chips, for garnish
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (a handful)
#3 Chicken Noodle Soup – Latin Style
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 5-6 ribs celery from the heart with leafy tops, chopped
- 3-4 medium size carrots, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 can stewed tomatoes (28 ounces each)
- 1 cup corn, frozen or freshly scraped from the cob
- 1 can black beans (15 ounces), rinsed
- 1/2 pound orzo pasta
- 1 pound chicken tenders or chicken cutlets, chopped
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 cups blue or red corn tortilla chips, for garnish
-
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions
#1 Traditional Chicken Noodle Soup
- Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the EVOO. Add celery, carrots, onion and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables to make tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Add stock and bring to a boil. Stir in egg noodles and chicken bits and simmer for 5-6 minutes. Stir in dill and turn off the heat.
-
Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish with some popcorn or oyster crackers.
#2 Chicken Noodle Soup – Italian Style
- Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the EVOO. Add celery, carrots, onion and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables to make tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Add stock, tomato sauce, beans and chickpeas, then bring soup to a boil. Stir penne into soup, cook a minute or so then stir in chicken and simmer 5-6 minutes more.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with some parmesan pita chips and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
#3 Chicken Noodle Soup – Latin Style
- Place a large soup pot over medium-high heat and add the EVOO. Add celery, carrots, onion and bay leaf and season with salt and pepper. Cook vegetables to make tender, 8-10 minutes.
- Add stock, stewed tomatoes, corn and black beans, then bring soup to a boil. Stir in orzo pasta, stir in chicken 3 minutes later and cook 5-6 minutes more.
- Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with sliced scallions and tortilla chips. Serve with lime wedges to add a zip.