Chicken Noodle Comfort

Posted: January 3rd, 2010 | Filed under: Chicken | Tags: chicken noodle, chicken soup, comfort foods, easy comfort foods, Noodle soup | 3 Comments »

So we really haven’t been home for more than a few days here and there for the last couple of weeks. Even when we have “been home” things have been so busy with work and what not we have spent very little time actually at home. So to say the least… as nice as our holiday has been, and wonderful as staying in a great hotel was last weekend… I am just a little exhausted. So when I got home today I had a little cooking to do, and a very large grocery list for us since we hadn’t actually gone grocery shopping in probably three weeks. I love making lists and grocery shopping and picking things out carefully, but today, I was just ready to be home. So when I got home, I decided to make one of my favorite comfort foods… chicken noodle soup. I can’t stand canned chicken noodle, it just doesn’t ever taste right… (I’m sorry if you dislike me for that, consider yourself lucky you can pop a can and warm it up and be done.) So I went ahead and made a big pot, and froze half and portioned out the rest for the week… so comforting to know its all done, that its delicious, its flavorful… and its not too far off track from my New Years resolution.

Chicken Noodle Soup

3 skinless boneless chicken breasts (or 1 lb. chicken of your choice)

2 lemons

6 large carrots peeled and sliced into 1 in pieces

1/2 small yellow onion diced

2 cloves garlic diced

32 oz low sodium chicken broth (I use Swanson)

4 c water

1/2 small box of angel hair pasta

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp dried basil

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Coat your chicken with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and place in a small baking dish. Slice the lemon in half, squeeze over the chicken, and place the lemon pieces along side the chicken in the baking dish. Roast the chicken until done (opaque all the way through) about 20 min. When your chicken is done, remove from the oven and let it rest while you prepare the broth.

In a large pot pour about 2 tbsp olive oil, add your onion, garlic, a few good grinds of salt and pepper (or dashes if you don’t grind fresh) and your herbs. Cook over medium high heat until onions are clear. Add your chicken broth, water, carrots and pasta to the pot and cook until the broth boils. Dice your chicken into 1/2 in pieces while your broth is coming to a boil. Add your chicken and chicken drippings/juices to the pot. (Discard your lemons… please don’t add them to the soup… that would be weird.) Reduce your heat to low and simmer for 30 min. Turn heat to off when you are ready to enjoy.

Freeze for up to three months.

*This took me just over an hour to prepare and finish, and made a large amount, probably enough for 4-6.

And don’t worry… I do have a pic of Ryan and I from the weekend… here we are in front of the Dallas Museum of Art on our trek around the newly updated Dallas Arts District… We had tons of fun… and too much good food… I ate a lot of french fries… and now I am glad to be home.

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