This is classic chicken noodle soup. It’s not the chicken noodle soup I grew up on. We never used noodles; we used a tiny pasta, called pastina. We never added chicken to the soup. The boiled chicken was eaten in the second course with salad. We always topped our soup with Italian grated cheese. While I still love that kind of soup day, I am smitten with classic chicken noodle soup. It’s what I want on snow days. It’s what I want when the only thing I want for dinner is just a bowl of soup and nothing else.
This is my quick, fast, easy, slimmer version of chicken noodle soup.
I’ve already shared with you the best way to make chicken broth, using chicken necks and backs and even chicken feet if you can access them. That takes all day, and we all know it’s worth it to extract every bit of collagen into a slow moving broth, skimming fat and taking in the aromas of hot soup on the stove.
This is my quicker than making stock, but slower than opening a can of chicken noodle soup (I hope you don’t do that). There is a product on the market that I’ve come to appreciate. It’s called Better Than Bouillon chicken base. Its USDA organic and claims reduced sodium. It’s sold in jars and you can use a spoon at a time to either make a chicken broth or enhance. I chose to simply enhance what I had already made. You could skip this part altogether. If I had some stock frozen like I suggest here, I would have used that. I keep that jar of Better Than Bouillon in the fridge to add to various dishes. Another option is buying chicken broth and adding noodles and vegetables. There are good choices out there for organic chicken broth usually sold in boxes. That works too. You won’t have chicken to add back in, but you won’t be opening up a can either.
What makes chicken soup so good?
Keep it simple. Chicken broth, carrots, onion, parsley, celery, noodles, chicken, salt and pepper.
This is classic chicken noodle soup and if you use good ingredients, this is all you need to satisfy. Some days you might want to walk on the wild side and matzo balls. But, if this is my slimmed down, delicious, chicken noodle soup in classic style.
Tips for Quick and Fit Chicken Soup
- Use chicken breasts for low fat broth.
- Never allow broth to continue to boil. Bring to boil and immediately turn to simmer.
- Remove chicken from pot as soon as it’s done. Cool quickly and refrigerate.
- Never pour broth from the pot. Use a ladle to avoid particles at bottom.
- Boil egg noodles separately as they will absorb all of your broth.
- Cook celery, carrots and onions (veggies for the soup) just to done, so as to not be too mushy.
- Add chicken to each bowl as you serve, so chicken maintains its flavor (if you add chicken back in)
- Top each bowl with freshly chopped parsley prior to serving.
| Spinach Tiger Fit Chicken Noodle Soup |
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 sticks of celery,diced
- 3 carrots, diced into coins
- bunch parsley, divided
- few sprigs thyme
- salt,pepper
- curly egg noodles, about a handful per serving
- HOMEMADE QUICK AND FIT BROTH Ingredients Below
- 2 chicken breasts (you can use dark meat. This is my quick low-fat method, and I use the chicken left over for the soup and for other dishes such as chicken salad or chicken lettuce wraps.
- 1 onion, cut into 4′s
- 1 carrot, cut in half
- 1 celery cut in half
- sprig of thyme
- few sprigs of parsley
- Assemble Soup using broth as explained below.
- Put a little oil in soup pan, and add in celery, onion, carrots. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in broth, thyme, parsley. Add cooked noodles once carrots are soft.
- Boil noodles separately and cook up to about 2 minutes before they are done.
- Add al dente noodles to the pan. This way they absorb some of the broth for flavor.
- Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley.
- HOMEMADE QUICK AND FIT BROTH Instructions Below
- Put two chicken breasts in 2 quarts cold water, with one roughly chopped onion, carrot and celery stick.
- Add in salt and pepper. Bring to boil Reduce to simmer and cook chicken until just done. Skim off fat. Remove and discard veggies. Cool chicken and refrigerate. You will only need one breast to add back in, unless you want a lot of chicken in your soup.
- Add in 2 more quarts of water and proceed as above. At this point, if I have time, I will add the bones back into the pot and continue cooking, as they add flavor. If you need more chicken flavor add in chicken base at this time.
- Ladle the broth through a mesh strainer to remove all veggies and any particles. Follow instructions above for chicken noodle soup.
My recommendation for Better than Bouillon is on my own and I’m not affiliated in any way with the company.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Healthy and so satisfying!
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh, Angela, you spoiled with me your introduction. While I appreciate the purity and slimmed down version, I have to admit I was smiling, nodding and drooling at your description of chicken soup from your childhood.
If only there were bowls of this chicken soup waiting for me the last couple of weeks as we fight off the cold and flu season. It is restorative in more ways than one.
I could climb mountains with a bowl of that Angela!
I’ve actually been looking at what to make with my leftover chicken for tonight and this is just perfect. I love soup and we’ve been having various homemade soups this week in fact. I might just go for another one tonight!
I hope we will se the Italian version you mentioned too. GREG
The Italian version is coming soon! Now I want it too.
Chicken noodle soup is always my favorite soup when I am under the weather. It is very restorative and good for the soul. Thanks for sharing.
Tasty and good for you.
With the cold weather we are having I feel like eating a good soup. Looks so comfort food.
Those are some great tips and the soup looks perfect. We call it Jewish penicillin.
Oh Angela! You had me from the first paragraph! Chicken soup…there is really nothing better than this elixir. I could eat abowl of every day and never tire of it! Can’t wait for the “italiano” version!
Chicken soup is not only good for our health it is very good for the soul. Lovely photos.
Lovely soup my friend.
Perfect! I love homemade chicken noodle soup but haven’t made it for ages! Now I am craving it thanks to your wonderful photo! Your soup is perfection!
Jamie, thanks. This photo wasn’t easy. Seems it’s hard to grasp the simple foods, but they are the most appealing. Make a big pot.
Like your version and we too at times would eat the chicken as a second course. I also did my mom’s version of a chick/veg soup that will be posted later this week.
This is the best for rainy, gloomy days….down to earth cooking at its best.
This looks like heaven! Loving the thick noodles and that it is a slim down version. Thanks for sharing and making our mouths water!
Would love a bowl right now! It looks so yummy. Great tips too. And I adore the idea of topping the soup with Italian grated cheese.
Hey Angela,
I so appreciate that you clearly explain every step and tip for a great chicken soup. That attention to detail is music to my ears. And I am intrigued by Better Than Bouillon. I was reading in Heidi Swanson’s book that she uses a vegetable bouillon and must admit I had thought of bouillon as a thing of the past. But here you both are on the same page. I need to revisit this idea:)
-Erin
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