How to Make a Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

by Danielle Morshead

48881

Intro: How to Make a Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Is it cold and snowy? Are you sick and miserable? Or are you just looking for a delicious soup for yourself or your family? This recipe is both delicious and will keep you full for hours after you've ate. This is an easy recipe to follow, however it will take approximately 12 hours to complete. Anyone with amateur cooking experience and the time to monitor the soup can easily and successfully make this great soup for dinner.

STEP 1: Gather Supplies

There are several things you will need in order to make this soup.

Food Supplies:

  • A whole chicken
  • Egg Noodles (wide)
  • White Rice
  • Chicken Bouillon
  • Parsley
  • White Pepper
  • Lawry's Seasoning Salt
  • Garlic Powder

Non-Food Supplies:

  • Kettle
  • Tongs
  • Spoon
  • Soup Ladle
  • Measuring cup

STEP 2: Cook the Chicken

  1. Rinse the chicken before proceeding to cook.
  2. Put the chicken in the kettle and ensure it is covered with water.
  3. Boil the chicken until it falls off the bone.
    • This will take several hours, especially for larger chickens.
    • Tip: Be patient and check the chicken about every 20-30 minutes by using the tongs to pull on one of the legs. If it doesn't remove easily, continue to let it boil. It took me almost 3 hours to boil the frozen chicken that weighed 7.6 pounds enough that it was easily removed from the bones.

STEP 3: Prepare for the Soup

  1. Remove the chicken from the boiling water.
    • Warning: The water and kettle are both very hot. Be careful not burn yourself when trying to remove the chicken.
    • Tip: I like to use tongs and a slotted spoon in order to remove the chicken. First, remove as much of the chicken with the tongs, then use the tongs to pull from the top and lift with the slotted spoon from the bottom to remove the body of the chicken.
  2. Go through and remove all the bones from the chicken.
    • Be sure to be thorough and remove all the bones (they can be very small).
    • Chunk/shred/tear the chicken as you remove it from the bones, making it the sized pieces you desire for your soup.
    • Tip: I also like to remove the skin and as much fat as possible in order to help make it a little healthier.
  3. Refrigerate the chicken water and chicken overnight.
    • Remember to cover the chicken before refrigerating in order to keep it from drying out.
    • Tip: I like to use Glad Press and Seal wrap in order to cover the chicken. As long as the chicken is stored and covered, it doesn't matter what you use.
    • Give the soup a good 8 hours in order to cool enough that the fat separates and congeals on the top.

STEP 4: Cook the Soup

  1. Remove the top layer of gelatinous fat.
    • Tip: Using a table spoon is probably the easiest way to do this. Remove the top layer promptly after removing the kettle from the fridge, before you add any heat.
  2. Determine whether you need to add extra water to the kettle.
    • Tip: If the water level does not reach about half way up the kettle, you will need to add more water.
  3. Add heat and allow it to boil.
  4. Once boiling, add the chicken, rice, and bouillon cubes.
    • A good starting point for the rice would be to add about 2 cups, however I usually end up adding about another half cup.
    • The bouillon cube ratio should be 1 cube to 1 cup of water. You will need to add quite a few bouillon cubes to the soup, but a good starting point would be 6-8 cubes.
    • Tip: You can always add more rice and bouillon cubes, so its okay to start with less and add more as you go.
  5. Add the white pepper, Lawry's seasoning salt, parsley, and garlic powder.
    • Season to preference
    • Tip: There is a lot of soup and liquid to season. You can always add more seasonings, but don't be afraid to give it some flavor.
  6. Let cook on a low boil.
    • Allow the soup to boil with small bubbles for at least an hour.
    • Remember to stir occasionally, at least once every 5 minutes.
  7. Add the noodles.
    • Tip: It does not take the noodles long to cook, so once the rice and chicken are fully cooked, you should add the noodles and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.
    • Continue to stir the soup, approximately every 2-3 minutes.

STEP 5: Reheat

  1. Scoop in cold soup contents into a pan.
    • Tip: When I'm reheating soup for myself, I usually scoop about 4 or 5 heaping tablespoons.
  2. Add water and bouillon cubes.
    • Add at least a cup of water, but be sure to add 1 bouillon cube for every 1 cup of water.
  3. Add Lawry's Seasoning Salt, garlic powder, and white pepper.
    • Tip: Be sure you don't over season. Remember you seasoned when you originally made the soup, so you need to season just enough to compensate for the extra water you added.
  4. Heat on the stove until it boils, stirring periodically.
    • Once the soup reaches a boil and the bouillon cube(s) has dissolve, it is ready to be eaten.

STEP 6: Enjoy!

Congratulations! Whether you just finished cooking the original pot of soup, or reheated the soup from the fridge or freezer, you are ready to eat this delicious chicken noodle soup. Grab your favorite crackers, snuggle up with a blanket, and enjoy your soup any time you are cold or sick!

Comments

tomatoskins 9 years ago

Mmmmmm.... I love me some good chicken noodle soup!