Easiest Chicken (or Turkey) Noodle Soup
Many people assume, based on the fact that I’m a dietitian, that I must have a fabulous kitchen filled with the latest tools and appliances. In reality, I cook with the same Dutch oven almost every day, have a stove that doubles as a drying rack due to lack of counter space, and only recently decided it was time to upgrade my Ikea knives to something a bit sharper.
This is all partly because I don’t think you need the fanciest tools to create a great meal, but also because my kitchen isn’t much bigger than the one I had in college, and every inch counts.
One other kitchen tool I do own that I adore is a Crock-Pot. And although I don’t quite have the physical (or emotional) space for yet another thing in my kitchen, I use my Crock-Pot every week, multiple times a week, especially when I make this chicken noodle soup.
When I don’t have hours and hours to braise an entire chicken, I throw chicken thighs into my crockpot and let it do the work.
I love this recipe because it’s flexible and ideal for post-Thanksgiving recovery: you can use leftover veggies, swap the chicken for turkey, and still end up with a comforting, nourishing soup that warms you up and stabilizes your blood sugar after a big holiday meal.
Easiest chicken noodle soup.
Active Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 3-8 hours
Servings: 4
Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken thighs (or leftover turkey)
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
8 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup fresh dill, chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch rounds
2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 ounces acini di pepe pasta
Salt and pepper
Optional: grated pecorino romano for topping
Directions:
Step 1: Add the chicken thighs, chicken broth, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper to a crockpot. Allow to cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 7 hours.
Step 2: When the chicken is done, shred it. Allow it to sit while you prepare the vegetables and broth. Start by chopping the onion and garlic.
Step 3: Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a pot and begin to heat over medium-high. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cook for about 3 minutes, until it is fragrant and you can smell the onions and garlic.
Step 4: Add the chicken stock, bay leaves, and dill to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat.
Step 5: Add the carrots, celery, and acini di pepe. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat until the pasta is just reaching al dente, about 8 minutes.
Step 6: Add the shredded chicken to the pot and simmer until everything is combined, about 2 minutes. Pluck out the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 7: Top with freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan. Enjoy!
