The Best Chicken Noodle Soup

A bowl of steaming hot chicken soup at the very least provides me with comfort in culinary form. Whether its your Jewish Penicillin or go-to rheumy remedy it maintains a reputation for healing.

The considerable nutritional value of chicken meat alone seems to go under the radar. In addition to a good source of protein, it packs in a respectful amount of Vitamin B3 Niacin which helps with blood sugar and cholesterol control, plus the little known trace element Selenium which helps fight cancer.

When we were planning this post during Breast Cancer Awareness month my mind kept bouncing back to Poule au Pot, a French classic in which a chicken is poached in liquid then served over 2 courses.

So in search of a good recipe to accommodate using a whole bird (the bones are a valuable asset in improving the nutritional profile) we chose Ina Garten’s Chicken Noodle Soup and adapted it for our slow cooker, adding dried egg noodles as recommended by Cooks Illustrated Soups and Stews.

While this may be more than a one stage recipe, we felt strongly that to achieve optimum results we shouldn’t cut corners. Our slow cooker was the perfect temperature for carefully teasing the best from the ingredients without overcooking. If you’re cooking for yourself or for a friend in need, this soup tastes clean and feels restorative.

Ingredients
1 x 5lb free range chicken
1 large yellow onion, peeled and quatered
2 carrots, peeled and halves lengthways
2 sticks celery,
1 parsnip, peeled and halved
6 cloves garlic
a handfull of fresh parsley sprigs
a handfull of fresh dill  (or 1 tbsp dried)
a handful fresh thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)
1 tsp peppercorns
2 tsp salt * you can reduce if necessary and salt to taste later
2 quarts/8 cups water
to serve
2 carrots/1 cup, 1/4-inch-diced
1 rib celery/1 cup, 1/4-inch-diced
8oz wide egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped dill

Rinse the chicken and place in your slow cooker. Push the vegetables, herbs and seasoning in around the chicken.

Pour the water over the chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or LOW for 8.

Remove the whole chicken and place on a board. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and chill the broth. Once chilled, skim the chicken fat from the broth with a spoon and discard. Remove the chicken meat from the bones (it will fall off the bone easily.) Discard the remaining broth vegetables.

Return the skimmed broth to your slow cooker and add the diced carrots and celery. Cover and set to High for 2 hours or Low for 4 hours.

30 minutes prior to the end add the egg noodles and chicken meat. Cover for the remaining cooking time.

Serve in warmed bowls and stir in the chopped parsley and dill.

Cooks Note – If you have a savory palate like me, I stirred in a spoonful of grated Parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Zen Toolkit

If you don’t feel like chopping your vegetable base ingredients, use a food processor to whizz up a large batch of onion, carrot, celery and garlic. Portion it and freeze for future soups and stews.

Looking Forward

Continuing our soup theme, next weeks feature recipe is a bowl of orangey goodness. Carrot, coriander and ginger soup.

Zen Moment

“Soup is cuisine’s kindest course.  It breathes reassurance; it steams consolation; after a weary day it promotes sociability, as the five o’clock cup of tea or the cocktail hour.”
– Louis P. De Gouy, ‘The Soup Book’ (1949)