As seen previously in my last post- I have become the soup queen in recent months. The cool (turning cold) weather of Connecticut has me looking for the warmth and simplicity of a good ole soup. So, every week I have been making different varieties or perfecting work-in-progress recipes I have made for years.
Lunch is my least favorite meal of the day. You don’t have time to cook yourself a good meal, and typically I resort to a greek yogurt and granola bar which leaves me completely unsatisfied. I think my weekly soup-making has become a good way for me to have something delicious, easy, and warm, while working from home. I miss the dining hall at The CIA dearly, but making my soup at the beginning of the week has been a good substitution.
This recipe is everything that I think a classic chicken noodle should be. It is one that I have toyed with to get just-right for a while now, finding that perfect balance of noodles to meat/veggies to broth. I am very particular on this ratio, and typically the heartier the better. To take all of the work out of roasting a chicken yourself, I turn to the amazing invention of rotisserie. I looooove the ease of picking up a rotisserie chicken from the market and smelling the warm goodness all the way home. My dogs love the scraps as well, so its truly a win-win.
I will say, that the beauty of soup is that it doesn’t require precise measurements or exact amounts. So if you like more of something, add it! For the veggies, use a 2:1:1 ratio for standard mirepoix. 2 part onion to 1 celery and 1 carrot. One thing I learned in culinary school that many do not know, is that peeling your celery is ESSENTIAL- just the convex side. This gets rid of those unpalatable strings and allows it to soften fully.

Alright so for the recipe you will need:
- 1 Tbsp. Evoo
- 1 large yellow onion, small dice
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled, small dice
- 2-3 stalks celery, peeled, small dice
- garlic finely minced is optional
- 64oz chicken broth, or more if desired
- bay leaf (2) + some thyme
- 1 rotisserie chicken, meat only (no skin)
- 1/2 bag of egg noodles
- squeeze of lemon juice, fresh
- S/P
- Chop and prepare all vegetables. Small dice is great for this- (1/4 in x 1/4 in x 1/4 in- precision not necessary)
- Start off with a tablespoon or so of EVOO in a dutch oven/ stockpot. Heat the oil over medium heat, and add onion first. When it begins to turn glossy, add in rest of mirepoix, and garlic if desired.
- Cook veg until softened (about 7 minutes). Add the broth, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a boil until veg is completely tender (5 min).
- Add noodles and boil for 10 minutes or until cooked al dente. You don’t want to overcook, or they will lose their structure.
- Add in chopped/shredded chicken, a nice squeeze of lemon if you have it around, and season to taste with S/P. Remove bay leaves.
This will stay nicely in your fridge for 5 days. It makes a great lunch, or a hearty dinner when served with some crusty bread.