Chicken noodle soup has an elevated position in the food pantheon — and for good reason. It's at once comforting, warming and satisfying. It has nursed many an under-the-weather person from their ills (coupled with a sleeve of Saltines, lots of tissues and obviously some flat ginger ale). It's also terrific on its own culinary volition, too, though: a perfect lunch, a simple bowl of the elixir can always provide sustenance.
Wen you're making it at home, though, chicken soup can feel a bit finicky. There are a lot of moving parts and decisions to be made — from which kind of broth or stock you choose to picking the perfect noodle. Have no fear, though. I'm here with six quick tips to upgrade your chicken soup game (in addition to ensuring there's lots of lemon, of course):
01
Stock and broth
Of course, making your own stock to act as the soup broth is always ideal, but that simply isn't always on the table. Generally, though, the richer and more gelatinous, the better. For some, water is the best and purest liquid option for a soup, but I typically find that using only water often calls for a seemingly outrageous amount of salt, about which many home cooks feel wary. Boxed stock isn't great, but if that's the only option, definitely opt for low-sodium and then spruce the soup up yourself.
Otherwise, I always like a Better Than Bouillon moment; the chicken base is great, but the roasted turkey variation is an underdog that i can definitely get behind (simply mix one teaspoon of BTB base with 8 ounces water for a stock approximation).
02
Chicken
I love big, hearty chunks of chicken, ideally breast meat. I'm not a fan of using rotisserie chicken in soup; I like roasting whole chicken breasts lathered up with oil and salt, cooling them down and then cubing and adding to the soup or even just letting the chicken poach in the broth/stock itself before cubing it up in sizable pieces.
Some like to combine the "stock" and "chicken" components and just cook off one big ol' chicken in some water with vegetables, herbs and aromatics and call it a day. That's fine, too, but be sure to skim off any impurities.
Also, be careful to remove fat, skin, bones and cartilage well before adding back to pot. I don't know if there's anything that I dislike more in chicken noodle soup than an errant chicken bone, so also be very sure to spoon through your soup to ensure there are none hanging around.
03
Vegetables
I love soft, tender, large pieces of celery and carrot. Some recipes call for leafy greens like kale or chard, others suggest beans, while yet others require vegetables like fennel, parsnip, rutabaga and the like — but I'm a fan of the classic combination of celery and carrot. Also, I've seen some recipes lately that all for barely cooked vegetables, which is... unappealing for me. I like them tender.
When it comes to garlic, I prefer whole, peeled cloves that can be easily removed before serving rather than minced or sliced pieces interspersed throughout he broth.
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04
Noodles
I always opt for an actual, long noodle over anything like a farfalle, ditalini or orrecchiette. I like the classic, nostalgic essence of that long noodle, a la the classic Campbell's commercial snowman-child. Other tend to want a noodle that doesn't announce "I'm here!" in a way that takes away from the chicken and vegetables, so in that case, aim for orzo, pastina or any other tiny noodle for a toothsome bite that doesn't distract from the "main character"
When it comes to cooking, I crave an al dente noodle: bloated, water-logged, gummy noodles turn me off right away, but it also can't be immensely crunchy or under-done.
As far as both cooking and storing, always cook and store your noodles and your soup separately or else the noodles will soak up all of your broth in the fridge, resulting in soggy noodles and a strange dearth of broth.
05
Herbaceousness
I adore fresh herbs, especially in conjunction with the aforementioned lemon, which help to take the soup to a whole new level entirely. My mix usually includes dill or parsley, but I wouldn't throw any herbs out of my soup. The inclusion of fresh herbs spruces up, brightens and elevates the dish. Generally, though, I am not a fan of something like dried oregano, so be sparing in that case. You don't want to overdo it; a heaping amount of herbs can veer into overwhelming or even a grass-like territory, which doesn't really appeal to anyone (aside from, like, grass-fed cows).
06
Extras
As per usual, I love tossing in a Parmigiano Reggiano rind into my soup and fishing it out just before serving. The savory salinity and umami it adds is unmatchable! It's obviously fully optional, but I assure you that it'll impress anyone who eats the soup, causing them to remark "Hm, what's that beguiling flavor I'm detecting?" Or some approximation of that sentiment, perhaps?
I will forever maintain that one of the single best aromas I've ever smelled in my life was the day we made "parm. stock" in culinary school; it's forever seared into my personal fragrance lexicon as an outrageously terrific scent and I cannot recommend making a version of it enough.
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