Thirty Minute Chicken Noodle Soup

Thirty Minute Chicken Noodle Soup

1/2 small onion, diced
1 c sliced celery
1 c sliced carrots
2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 T butter
1/2 t salt
1 t dried tarragon

4 c chicken broth
1.5 c cooked, chopped chicken

1 c wide egg noodles
1 c frozen peas

Melt butter in a small stockpot. Add celery, carrots, garlic, onion, salt and tarragon and saute until vegetables soften, about fifteen minutes. Add chicken broth and chicken and simmer, covered, another fifteen minutes. Stir in egg noodles and simmer another 8-9 minutes until noodles are cooked but not mushy. Off heat stir in peas. Pepper to taste and serve.

Notes: I had half of the chicken leftover from Zingerman's so I made this specifically in the hopes that the tiny pieces of chicken and the soft noodles and carrots would be easy on Patrick throat. They were. 

A few things about this recipe. First, using a chicken broth you like is crucial because the soup does not have a long time to develop a whole lot of additional flavors. I love Swanson's Natural Goodness but to each his own. Sauteing the vegetables in butter rather than my usual olive oil is key, too, because it adds a richness that you miss with the quick cooking time. I used to cut cooked chicken into small cubes but I have started really mincing it for certain recipes. I think it works especially well in soups. Finally, I usually make twice this much but I had to adjust for the small quantity of chicken we had leftover.

This served Caroline, Edward, and Patrick for dinner and me the next day for lunch.

Addendum:

A couple people asked about the butterflied chicken in that last recipe. Because you are using a 3lb fryer rather than a larger roasting bird it really does fit into a cast iron skillet even after the backbone is removed and the two halves are flattened. My skillet (I am almost positive - I will check when I get home from the library. I am here "picking up books for Patrick") is only ten inches and it fit comfortably.

To answer another question the advantage to butterflying is the much faster roasting time. The chicken is able to cook through in just about an hour.

Hope this helps. 

Comments

[Sarah]

This is one of my favourite dishes. My version either gets noodles, barley or rice, depending on leftovers and timing.
I also usually throw in 3-4 cloves of garlic.

Probably less kid friendly, but I added a bunch of spinach the last time I made it because I was low on other vegetables ... very tasty.

Hope Patrick is feeling better soon.

[Julia]

Whoops, forgot the garlic!

Editing the recipe, thanks Sarah. And I love adding spinach too.

[onecookieshort.blogspot.com]

Something I think I might actually be able to make!

[Erika]

This looks almost exactly like my chicken noodle--except that I don't use garlic, and instead of tarragon I use dill, plus usually some fresh parsley.

Easy, easy, and one of the reasons I look forward to fall every year...

[Noelle]

I love the minced chicken idea! I wonder if mincing it and cooking it with the broth for those 15 minutes (even though it's already cooked) flavors your broth better. When I do a quick chicken soup with chunked up cooked chicken, I hesitate to cook it too long for fear of it getting tough, but I think I pay in flavor. You've inspired me -- I always forget about tarragon!

I've also done a chicken and rice soup with lemon and parsley (or whatever I have on hand) that's blended with an immersion blender for 'super smooth'.

I love the fresh green bowl in the photo, by the way. Your food photos are always so lovely - as you know, any I try look like those Machine Shed horror food pics. ;-)

[Samantha]

This is really similar to *my* chicken noodle recipe, but I've always used olive oil to saute the veggies, so I'm excited to try it with butter since you say it's better. I've also not tried the tarragon, so I can't wait to do that. AND I'm interested to try mincing the chicken instead of just cubing it. Thanks for all the new ideas for an old staple!

[Alice]

Thank you for this recipe! I tried it today, and everyone loved it.

[MJ]

Love the practical recipes, so how about including a print function that captures the recipe but not the comments? I'm about to try your grilled pizza.

[Julia L]

Hi!

I have absolutely no idea how to add the print functionality you suggested
but I will be happy to investigate it.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Regards,
Julia

On 9/7/09 1:25 PM, "typepad@sixapart.com" wrote:

[Sharon B]

I love to use leeks in place of onions in chicken recipes. They cook down to an almost velvety sweetness. Also fennel(the bulbous type not the feathery fronds) for the aniseed taste but added fibre/bulk in place of tarragon. And chopped spinach went into just about all soups, casseroles etc in the days when my boys would not eat green vegetables but did eat herbs . . !

[Kayla]

I made this when my BF was sick - he said it was the "best soup he's ever had".
So now I look like a hero thanks to Julia!