It’s Still the Season for Chicken Noodle Soup

There’s still snow on the ground here. A foot of it. With littles and bigs sledding, building snow forts and snowballs, and making snowmen and women of all sizes and shapes! When I remember being young with these festivities in place, I remember one thing—chicken noodle soup to warm up after the freeze of outdoor play.

Do you remember that, too?

Now, mine would probably have been the Campbell’s soup from a can version; but, none the less, that taste was important.

Last week I cooked a chicken that became chicken and rice soup. It was delightful.

Then the messages began…

Questions like, “do you have a chicken noodle soup recipe”? or, “can I make this with rotisserie chicken”? or “do you have a quick one for a working mama”?

So, off I went to create a recipe to resolve all of those questions. A quick, chicken noodle soup made with rotisserie chicken. On it!

My sister shared her sweet daughter in law’s recipe. We texted, I tasted, I chopped and cut and added and it was amazing!

The texting was hilarious. This sweet niece never measures. Now, I’m my Mama’s child and create many times without a recipe; but, I have learned that sometimes to recreate something that turns out amazing, I simply have to write it down after creating it.

Her text read: “my recipe would suggest, get some chicken, saute’ celery, onion and carrots until halfway soft…” or, “I don’t measure, so depends…” or, “we would make a funny cooking show duo”! She is an amazing cook…and their cute daughter was the one who helped me make the fig and prosciutto pizza that everyone loved.

I would love that…Cooking with Rhea…

I often buy rotisserie chicken. Sam’s Club is genius! The best kept secret that I shared in my meal planning post was that their whole chickens are of the roasting variety and huge for $4.98. But, the TIP I’d love to share is that if you are lucky, you can buy a pack of rotisserie chicken breasts there for $3.98. What an amazing deal! If you love chicken thighs/legs, they package those, too.

Now for this chicken noodle soup recipe, it begins with rotisserie chicken. I deboned and skinned and cut into bite sized pieces, (and I measured 4 c.), unlike the laughter I heard on the other end! I love that the flavor and seasoning is perfect and already in that chicken to launch whatever recipe you are making.

I chopped 4 stems of celery, one small onion and 4 carrots and added those to 2 T of butter in, you guessed it, my favorite Lodge Dutch oven, and began to saute’ until vegetables were softened.

(I have added that amazon link for your shopping convenience…since I am an Amazon affiliate. Costs no more to you, but helps out the blog! see my disclosure page.)

Now, here’s where the recipe went off of the rails…

The normal rule of thumb if you are using “Better than Bouillion-chicken flavor”, is 1 t. per 1 cup of water to make a wonderful chicken broth base…

So, what did I do??? I wasn’t paying attention to directions and added 4 C of chicken broth instead of water with those 4 t of bouillion. And, because I added the chicken broth and was concerned it might be a little bit much, and the amount of vegetables and chicken I had added to the pot needed a little more liquid to make soup, I added 2 C water.

The next conversation was about the time! Time? The recipe sent to me by my sister said to cook for 40 minutes and then add the egg noodles…cook for another 10-15 minutes. The text from that wonderful niece cook when I asked how many egg noodles she added? or total time? Hmmmm….maybe 1-1/2 C egg noodles…yeah…add egg noodles for the last bit!

So, I added 2 C of egg noodles the last 15 minutes of that 40 minutes…OOPS! maybe back that down to 1 C if you’d like to have SOUP! Then add salt and pepper to taste and parsley while cooking or when serving.

You guys! I was blown away at the richness of this broth.

For all my “need-a-fast-recipe Mamas and Dads out there”…

This one ticks all of the boxes.

I wish I had littles in from snow play to enjoy this today. With a pile of wet snow boots and gloves and hats and coats by the door. Do you remember that cute commercial from years ago where the snowman came in from the snow and sat at the table to a bowl of chicken noodle soup? and then, became a boy?

My scenario was different today.

It began with texting some of my favorite people to using up rotisserie chicken and celery that needed cooking from my fridge to making the most amazing bowl of chicken noodle soup ever.

My sister was right. She usually is.

And Rhea’s guidance, priceless!

No melting snowmen over here. Just happy faces of happy people enjoying a few last days of snow on the ground with a wonderful and healthy bowl of soup!

Time saving, cost worthy and oh. so. good.

If you look, closely in this bowl of goodness, take note of that fresh parsley! Do you realize that we have had days of below zero nights and single digit days? But, there in that sweet herb garden tucked closely to the deck wall, was this tiny bit of parsley. Still in all of it’s green glory. That added the most amazing depth of flavor to that bowl of wonderful soup.

Providing glimpses and hope of spring lurking in the days ahead…

Enjoy some while the cold weather lingers. And in the comments, thank Rhea for her inspiration! She’s fabulous at cooking and inspiring! And for my sister, as always for her wonderful wisdom and spurring on creativity today.