Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup.

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup is an easy, healthy meal that you can make for your family. I make it in the cold, winter months and sometimes in the summer to help cure a cold or for those times you need a little comfort. It reminds me of being a child, having a cold and my Mom making a big pot of soup to help “cure” me.

You can modify it depending on your tastes.  Sometimes I add green beans, rice, or lemon. Today I am sticking to the basic chicken noodle soup that I have been making for years.  I hope you enjoy it and use it for comfort on those cold, wintery days.

What’s not to love about veggies…

and these yummy noodles….

Comforting Chicken Noodle Soup

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: about 10 cups of soup

Ingredients

1 cup chopped, cooked chicken

1 ½ cups chopped carrots (3 medium carrots)

1 ½ cup chopped celery (3 stalks)

½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

2 – 32oz cartons of organic free range chicken broth (or whatever chicken broth you fancy; the lower the sodium the better in my book)

2 cups of water

1 chicken bouillon cube

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 cups of noodles (wide egg noodles are my favorite but use whatever works for you)

½ cup of orzo

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook chicken, shred and set aside.
2. In a large pot combine carrot, celery, onion, broth, water, bouillon cube, bay leaves, and spices. Bring to a boil then reduce heat.  Let simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in uncooked noodles and orzo and return to boil then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer for 8 minutes or until noodles are tender.  Stir in chicken and cook for 3 more minutes.
4. Discard bay leaf.
5. Serve in soup bowls with your favorite crackers or bread for dipping.

Julia’s tip

1. Use dried herbs instead of fresh. In the summer I prefer fresh herbs since I grow them in my garden or can get them at the farmers market.
2. To shred the chicken use a fork to pull apart the meat.

 Enjoy!

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Here are a few more great soup ideas:

Sesame Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup

 Moroccan Red Lentil Soup

 Spicy Asian Chicken Noodle Soup.

What is your favorite comfort food?