Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

This is the time of year when many of us fall ill with the flu, so this season, instead of downing a bottle of NyQuil ®, why not treat your symptoms the way our grandmothers did – with chicken soup!

Serves 6-8

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups yellow onion, diced (about 1 small onion)
2 cups carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds (about 4 carrots)
1 ¼ cup celery, sliced (about 4 celery stalks)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. Kosher salt, divided, plus more for seasoning
2 tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. celery salt
1 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc
8 cups homemade chicken stock (see recipe in Homemade Stocks)
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs fresh Italian parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh oregano, plus 2 Tbsp. chopped oregano leaves for serving
2 cups reserved chicken from chicken stock recipe, chopped, mix of white and dark meat
2 cups dry egg noodles
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Heat butter and oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until veggies have softened and onions become translucent but not brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add dry mustard, celery salt, 1 tsp. Kosher salt, and garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until liquid has reduced by half, about 2-4 minutes.

With a 4″ piece of cotton kitchen twine, create an herb sachet (sachet d’ épices) by tying together bay leaf, and sprigs of parsley, thyme, and oregano (Figure 1). Add chicken stock and sachet to soup pot. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes, partially covered.

Figure 1 – sachet d’ épices

In a separate pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil with 1 tsp. salt. Once boiling, add egg noodles and continue to cook until noodles are al dente, about 5-8 minutes. Pour noodles into a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

After the 30-minute simmer is completed, add chicken and noodles to soup pot and continue to simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes. Remove herb sachet from pot and season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, ladle soup into pre-warmed bowls and top with a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of fresh chopped oregano.

Soup can be stored in refrigerator for 3-5 days and frozen for up to 3 months.

Note: After refrigeration, the soup may accumulate a layer of fat on the top, remove with a slotted spoon and discard before reheating.

Sidekicks: 

• There’s probably not a person in the world who would argue that the best accompaniment to chicken noodle soup is a good old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich – my recommendation is using a couple pieces of sourdough bread, unsalted butter, and a slice each of sharp cheddar and Muenster cheese.
• Serve with a glass of Chardonnay, and you’ve got yourself a meal to beat any ailment!

Shortcuts:

• Replace homemade chicken stock with store-bought stock.
• Instead of using reserved chicken from stock recipe, buy a pre-roasted whole chicken (found in the deli department of most grocery stores), cut meat away from bone and dice. Use 2 cups for soup, then reserve remaining chicken for another use.