Des

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Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

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Chicken Noodle Soup

It’s cold. Its rainy. You notice a person coughing next to you on the bus and you contemplate getting off and waiting 20 minutes for the next one. When you finally get to work the office is quieter because so many of your co-workers are out sick. The news is stressing the importance of getting your flu shot but lines for said shot stretch around the block. All of these things could only mean one thing,  cold and flu season is officially upon us. While we can buy medicine to make us feel better, to me nothing quiets the sniffles and soothes the sore throat pain like a nice hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup.

This recipe reminds me much of my mom’s chicken noodle soup. The same soup that she would feed me whenever I stayed home sick from school. Its full of all kinds of goodies like carrots, celery, potatoes and chunks of shredded chicken. But my favorite part is the the garlic, lots of garlic, 10 cloves to be exact. I grew up knowing that garlic is a natural antibiotic so it only makes sense that the soup that is suppose to make you healthy again be full of it. I also add a couple dried chili peppers because I like the heat and my mom once said that hot food can make you sweat out the bugs that are making you sick. Who knows if she was right, but in the long run it doesn’t matter, they add a nice flavor to the soup.

You may notice that my technique with this soup is a little different. I am pretty picky when it comes to the noodles in my chicken noodle soup. I like my noodles a little more on the al-dente side and have often found that they get mushy the longer that they sit in the hot broth. And forget the leftovers, the noodles just soak up a lot of the broth and a soup with out broth is really not a soup at all.  As a result I prefer to ladle the hot soup over the top of cooked noodles. Then if there is any left over I store the noodles and soup separately. It may be an extra step but it is totally worth it.

Close up of chicken noodle soup in white bowl.

Chicken Noodle Soup

A hearty chicken noodle soup with shredded chicken, carrots, celery, potatoes and loads of garlic.
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 5 mins
Course Main Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients
  

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 10 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1 medium Yukon gold potato peeled and diced
  • 8 cups homemade or store bought chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
  • 2-3 dried red chili peppers optional
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • fresh cracked black pepper and kosher salt to taste
  • 3 cups dried medium egg noodles

Instructions
 

  • In a large soup pot cook olive oil and butter over medium heat until butter melts. Once butter has melted add carrots, celery, onion, garlic and potato. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until veggies are softened slightly.
  • Pour chicken stock over the top. Add thyme, chili peppers and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Stir in cooked shredded chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer as you cook your noodles.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling season liberally with salt (about 1 tablespoon). Cook noodles until al-dente about 5-7 minutes. Strain in a colander.
  • Remove bay leaves and chili peppers from soup.
  • Scoop noodles into soup bowl. Ladle hot soup over the cooked noodles.
  • Serve hot.

Notes

Hopefully you just make this because you like chicken noodle soup, but if you are making it because you or a loved one has come down with a cold do as my mom did and serve with plenty of saltines, OJ and hugs. Enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Mention @lifesambrosia or tag #lifesambrosia!
Keywords: bay leaves, carrots, celery, chicken, chicken broth, chicken noodle soup, chili pepper, comfort, comfort food, cooked chicken, Food, garlic, noodles, onions, Recipe, sick, thyme

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Recipe Rating




  • Reply
    Mizraim
    January 2, 2012 at 4:12 pm

    I’ve got cough, and I’ve just prepared it, haven’t tried yet. I’ll tell you how did it go.

  • Reply
    len
    December 7, 2009 at 12:26 pm

    Thank you very much for this recipe, I’ve used it as an inspiration a few days ago as I experimented some noodles recipes and it was very tasty. I’ve also liked the photos on your blog :)

  • Reply
    Meichihko
    November 11, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    I found this recipe through Foodgawker. Everyone in the house is sick, so I made this soup for them and it is absolutely delicious! The garlic is perfect and adds a wonderful flavor. And it smells great as it cooks. Definitely one I will make again and again. Thanks for sharing it!

    • Reply
      Deseree
      November 12, 2009 at 2:59 pm

      You’re welcome Meichihko. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I hope it made your family feel better! :)

  • Reply
    Deseree
    November 9, 2009 at 11:24 am

    Thanks Michelle!
    Jessie- I hope you feel better! If I could I’d send some over to you :)
    I hope you enjoy it Danielle!
    Thank you Chaya! I agree, there is nothing more comforting than chicken soup.

  • Reply
    Chaya
    November 9, 2009 at 3:02 am

    The ultimate comfort food.

  • Reply
    Danielle
    November 5, 2009 at 7:49 am

    You read my mind. I was just thinking about chicken noodle soup this week and how I needed to add it to my menu soon. This looks perfect!

  • Reply
    Jessie
    November 4, 2009 at 11:21 pm

    this is such a nourishing and hearty soup. I’m coming down with some kind of cold and the last few days I’ve been suffering with a sore throat and sniffles. I wish I can have a bowl of this soup to scare away whatever is making me sick

  • Reply
    Michelle
    November 4, 2009 at 3:05 pm

    Soups are so hard to get good pictures of, but yours looks wonderful. Great job.

  • Des

    Hey! I'm Des!

    Welcome to Life’s Ambrosia where Dinner is served and memories are made. Here you will find over 1000 tried and true recipes for every possible occasion. In the last 10 years, this blog has helped millions of families put dinner on the table and create food memories. Let me help you too.

    Read more »