A Hug in a Bowl: Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

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There are few feelings that we all share in this world but if I had to name one of them, it would definitely be the comfort from chicken noodle soup. When Connor texted me that he felt like he was getting sick today, I instantly thought of taking the chicken thighs that were designated for chicken parm and making chicken noodle soup. I’m not talking about your run-of-the-mill, old-world, thin broth soup though; this chicken noodle soup is both soothing and packed with flavor. If you’re looking to grandma it up with the impending flu season, here is my recipe on a lemony-chicken noodle soup made from scratch (no whole chicken required!)

You will need:

  • 3 celery sticks

  • 3 carrots

  • 1 parsnip

  • 1 yellow onion

  • parsley

  • 3 cloves of garlic, minced

  • peppercorns

  • 1 quart of low sodium chicken broth

  • 6 chicken thighs

  • 2 bay leaves

  • a lemon (or lemon juice)

  • pasta of choice (I chose macaroni, but orzo or traditional egg noodles work)

  • optional: a pinch of broth booster

Dice all of your vegetables and throw them into a soup pot over medium heat to soften. After a few minutes, clear the center of the pot and add the garlic for a minute before mixing it in. Clear the vegetables out of the center again and sear the chicken thighs on both sides. Add all of the chicken broth and 1 cup of water as well as 10 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, and a handful of chopped parsley leaves (as well as the broth booster if desired). Bring the soup to boil and then simmer for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, boil a pot of water and cook your macaroni. After the soup is ready, add about 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and top with some fresh chopped parsley. Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred with a fork before adding back into the soup. Keep the macaroni separate if you do not like mushy noodles and add as served. If you are feeling meticulous, fish out the macaroni and the bay leaves (I just pick them out as I eat, but be sure to warn anyone else taking a spoonful from the pot). I am not even a fan of soup but there is nothing like homemade chicken noodle soup that warms the soul, which is probably why they wrote a book with this title. This only takes an hour and a half to make and you can even treat yourself to a steam facial (very carefully) from the pot during this period of time. Stay toasty, kiddos!

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