Feel good chicken noodle soup

This feel good chicken noodle soup will put a smile on your face and satisfy until the last spoonful.

Is there another dish that's more comforting or homey than feel good chicken noodle soup? Perfect for a cold day or a little boost when you are feeling down, it's a familiar dish to just about everyone. Once you try my version, you will never reach for the canned stuff again. I think the flavor of this soup has to do with the magic of grilled chicken, the seasonings and a whole lot of love.

Preparing the chicken

My personal favorite chicken to use is leftover grilled chicken thighs.  The dark meat is perfect for a soup as it is difficult to overcook, and the grilled quality adds a deeper, almost smoky layer.  A basic salt and pepper blend works again for seasoning, but sometimes I like to add a little smoked paprika and garlic salt to add some zing.

Just grill them on medium high heat, flip a few times and pull off when the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F. If you are a fan of cooking over charcoal check out FOGO Charcoal. The flavor it gives on your food is incredible.

Feel free to use  any variation of the following: chicken breasts, chicken thighs, rotisserie chicken, smoked chicken, canned chicken, left-over fried chicken de-skinned, and even chicken's wild cousin - the turkey.  

The key to using different types of chicken is to incorporate them into the soup at the appropriate time.  Chicken breasts and pre-cooked chicken can dry out the easiest so you will want to add these later in a cook, just before adding liquid to the broth.  If you are using left-over fried chicken, make sure to remove the skin and also add late into the cook.

You can also use raw chicken breasts or thighs. For this you can chop them into smaller chunks, sauté them in butter until the outside is just cooked, and season them with salt, pepper, and dried thyme.  The inside of the chicken pieces do not need to be finished as they will continue cooking in the broth when you add it back in later.

Building the broth

Start the broth with the triad of any good stock: onions, carrots, and celery.  Finely chop the vegetables.  Make sure that the carrots are thinly chopped as they will take the longest to cook. The best cuts will come from using a sharp knife. If you are struggling with the chopping, it's time to care of this vital tool. If you are a garlic fan, you may want to consider adding some chopped garlic to the mix. 

In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter on medium high.  Once melted, add in the chopped veggies.  Stir occasionally until the vegetables are softened.  If the vegetables are browning too quickly, turn down the heat to medium.

Then, it's time to add some more moisture and spices.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of Herbes de Provence, which is a homey blend of dried savory, marjoram, rosemary, thyme, and oregano.  Add 1 tablespoon of turmeric.  The turmeric is a healthy boost to the broth and will give that beautiful color to the soup.  Stir all of the spices around to coat the vegetables.  

Next, add 2 tablespoons of flour and the chopped chicken.  Continue stirring.  Add ½ cup of white wine.  Stir and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add 6 cups of chicken broth.  Stir well.  Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. When the soup is gently rolling, move to the next step.

Adding the noodles

Some people like to boil the noodles separately, but you can just toss them right in the broth. Choose whatever noodle you prefer!  Personally I like egg noodles.  Egg noodles are wider, soften easily and absorb the flavor very well.  

After the soup is rolling, add 1 cup of noodles and  cook until they are softened. The longer the noodles cook, the more flavor they will absorb, but they will also enlarge and soften.  This soup can be served as soon as the noodles are soft or it can simmer for up to an hour.

Finishing with an egg

Here's one last trick: an egg.  The egg will add a new richness and texture to the broth, and protein for nutrition.  So, after the noodles are cooked, beat one egg in a separate bowl.  Then, while stirring the soup gently, slowly pour in the beaten egg.  Cook for a few minutes until the egg is fully cooked. 

All there is left to do is serve in bowls and garnish with additional salt and pepper as desired.  Consider topping the soup with some fresh thyme or flat leaf parsley. This one is downright comforting, feel good, and delicious.

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