Key Ingredients for the Perfect Chicken Noodle Soup
To create the best chicken noodle soup, you’ll need a few simple yet essential ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll need for this delicious chicken noodle soup recipe:
Leftover Chicken
Using leftover chicken is one of the easiest ways to make this soup both flavorful and cost-effective. Whether you have chicken breast, thighs, or even roasted chicken leftovers, you can throw the bones, skin, and meat into the pot for the base of your broth. Simmering these ingredients creates a rich, homemade stock that adds a deep, savory taste to the soup.
Vegetables
The classic trio of carrots, celery, and onions forms the backbone of this soup. Their subtle sweetness and earthiness blend perfectly with the chicken broth to create a balanced and flavorful base. The vegetables should be diced into small pieces for easy eating and even cooking.
Carrots: These root vegetables add natural sweetness and texture to the soup.
Celery: Celery brings a mild, slightly bitter flavor that complements the sweetness of the carrots and the richness of the chicken broth.
Onion: A half large sweet onion provides a slightly sweet and savory depth of flavor to the broth.
Tomato Juice
A cup of V8 tomato juice adds a tangy, umami-rich flavor to the soup, giving it a hint of acidity that balances the richness of the chicken broth. It’s an unexpected ingredient, but it works wonders in elevating the taste.
Chicken Broth and Bouillon
To deepen the flavor of the soup, we use chicken broth and a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base. These ingredients provide an extra layer of savory goodness, making the soup even more satisfying. The chicken broth adds liquid, while the bouillon concentrate boosts the overall taste with a more concentrated chicken flavor.
Egg Noodles
For the perfect texture, egg noodles are an excellent choice. They absorb the flavorful broth and cook quickly, making them the perfect addition to the soup. They are soft yet hearty, providing the right balance of chewiness to complement the tender chicken and vegetables.
Seasonings
To round out the flavors, we use dried parsley flakes for an herbaceous note and salt to season the soup to taste. The salt brings out the flavors of the other ingredients, while the parsley adds a fresh, vibrant touch to the soup’s overall profile.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Making the Best Chicken Noodle Soup
Now that we’ve discussed the ingredients, it’s time to dive into the preparation process. This homemade chicken noodle soup recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require any complicated techniques. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll have a bowl of delicious, hearty chicken noodle soup ready to enjoy in no time.
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