The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup
My first Wisconsin winter was so cold, all I wanted to eat was soup. This recipe is in heavy rotation at our house from November to April.
—Gina Nistico, Denver, CO
Prep: 15 min. • Cook: 45 min. + standing • Makes: 10 servings
- 2 ½ lbs. bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ tsp. pepper
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 10 cups chicken broth
- 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme or ¼ tsp. dried thyme
- 3 cups uncooked kluski or other egg noodles (about 8 oz.)
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice Optional: Additional salt and pepper
- 1. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; sprinkle with pepper and salt. In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken in batches, skin side down; cook until dark golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Remove chicken from pot; remove and discard skin. Discard drippings, reserving 2 Tbsp.
- 2. Add onion to the drippings; cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add broth, stirring to loosen any browned bits. Bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pot. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 25-30 minutes.
- 3. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Remove soup from heat. Add the noodles; let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20-22 minutes.
- 4. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones; discard bones. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces and return to pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice. If desired, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaves.
1 ⅓ cups: 239 cal., 12g fat (3g sat. fat), 68mg chol., 1176mg sod., 14g carb. (3g sugars, 2g fiber), 18g pro.
