Getting your food budget to extend itself often takes a bit of gray matter, but a leftover chicken breast staring at you from the refrigerator, together with a generally well stocked larder makes this decision easy. Whereas one can put together a very basic chicken broth, vegetable and noodle concoction, taking a few extra steps can really add to the flavor profile and make the soup into something the kids ask for.
Special Equipment:
None.
Ingredients:
- 1 cooked chicken breast, cubed
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 1 large carrot, skinned and sliced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 package of wide egg noodles (8 oz)
- 1 Knorr chicken bullion cube
- 1/2 tbsp ground sage
- 1/2 tbsp poultry seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
As the basis of much French cooking, create a mirepoix with the onions, carrots and celery. The goal is not to cook the vegetables to absolute done-ness, but to sweat them to soften and sweeten them. Add them to a preheated, medium sized saucepan (using medium heat) along with the cooking oil and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Near the end of the process and the onions have become visibly translucent, add the minced garlic for another minute. Stir frequently, as garlic burns easily.
Add the chicken broth, the bullion cube, sage, poultry seasoning and pepper. Let the soup simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, and then adjust salt after the bullion cube has dissolved. Add the noodles at this point and and stir occasionally for them to soften, the time will be determined by the cooking time indicated on the noodle packaging; the average time is around 12 minutes for thicker noodles. If the liquid level appears too low, you can add water or additional chicken stock.
Serve immediately with bread or crackers. Serves 4 to 6.
