Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
Inspired by my favorite Test Kitchen, here is a great chicken soup with a hearty texture.
Author: Christopher Kosovich
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions, cut into medium dice
- 2 quarts boiling water
- Table salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
- 1 medium rib celery, sliced ¼-inch thick
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups egg noodles (3 ounces), wide size noodles
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes.
- Remove and set aside.
- Add half of chopped onions to kettle; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer to medium bowl; set aside.
- Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Transfer to bowl with onions.
- Sauté remaining chicken pieces.
- Return onions, garlic, and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
- Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves.
- Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside.
- When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone.
- Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. (Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.)
- Return soup kettle to medium-high heat.
- Add reserved chicken fat.
- Add remaining onions, along with carrot and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
- Adjust seasonings, stir in parsley.
- Serve.