Chicken Noodle Soup
Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 25 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1 cup celery, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (optional, for serving)
Instructions:
1. Prepare Vegetables:
- In a large pot, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add Broth and Seasonings:
- Pour in the chicken broth, add thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Cook Chicken:
- Add the cooked chicken to the pot. If you don’t have pre-cooked chicken, you can cook raw chicken breasts in the broth. Once cooked, remove the chicken, shred or dice it, and return it to the pot.
4. Add Noodles:
- Add the egg noodles to the pot. Cook according to the package instructions until the noodles are tender.
5. Adjust Seasoning and Serve:
- Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley.
- Serve hot with lemon wedges on the side if desired.
Cook's Tips:
- You can customize the soup by adding other vegetables like peas or spinach.
- For a richer flavor, you can use homemade chicken broth.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can add a cornstarch slurry (cornstarch mixed with water) to the soup and let it simmer until thickened.
