Warm, comforting, and full of homemade flavor, this chicken soup is just what you need on a chilly day. With tender chicken, fresh vegetables, herbs, and perfectly cooked noodles, it’s a cozy classic the whole family will love.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 2 small onions, chopped
- A few cloves garlic, chopped or minced
- 5–7 stalks celery, sliced
- 1/2 bag baby carrots
- 1/2 bag frozen chicken tenderloins, about 2 1/2 pounds
- Water, as needed
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh cilantro, basil, and parsley, optional
- Noodles of your choice
- Oil, for cooking the noodles
Directions:
- Sauté the onions. Melt the butter in a coated cast iron pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions, cover, and turn off the heat. Allow the onions to gently sauté without burning. Add the garlic at this time, if using.
- Add the vegetables. Slice the celery and add it to the pot along with the baby carrots. Turn the heat back on and continue cooking, being careful not to let the vegetables burn. Add a little water if needed.
- Add the chicken. Place the frozen chicken tenderloins in the pot and fill the pot about halfway with water.
- Cook the soup. Turn the heat to high and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Add fresh cilantro, basil, and parsley for extra flavor, if desired.
- Cook the noodles separately. While the soup is cooking, bring a separate pot of salted water with a little oil to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente.
- Drain the noodles. Once cooked, drain and rinse the noodles. Keep them separate from the soup so they don't become soggy.
- Finish the chicken. Remove the cooked chicken from the soup and finely chop it. Return the chicken to the pot.
- Adjust the broth. If you'd like more broth, add additional water. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve. Place the desired amount of noodles in each bowl, then ladle the hot chicken soup over the noodles. Keeping the noodles separate until serving helps ensure they're perfect every time.
Tip
For a fun variation, cook noodles and rice together. Choose a slower-cooking noodle and a quick-cooking rice, such as jasmine rice, so they finish around the same time.
For even more flavor, cook your noodles in store-bought chicken stock instead of water. Drain the noodles as usual before serving them with the soup.
