For the soul

Ah, chicken soup. It’s a comfort classic with powers of healing and nostalgia. I grew up on Campbell’s Chicken and Stars, and I still find myself reaching for the can when cold season takes me victim. Better than Chicken and Stars? Homemade. If you set yourself up for success, homemade chicken soup is simple and oh so satisfying. I always have homemade stock and some kind of chicken in my freezer, and some sort of hearty vegetables in my crisper. I replaced noodles with zucchini for this version because I find that when I store chicken noodle soup in my fridge for leftovers, the noodles soak up all the broth and I’m left with mushy pasta and no broth. More on this later.*

The key to really delicious soup is taking the time to develop flavor from each simple ingredient. My stock is simmered low and slow with whole chicken carcasses, fresh vegetable ends, and aromatics. The chicken is seasoned well and browned before getting added to the broth. The vegetables are sautéed in fragrant oil until just underdone, and everything comes together for just a few minutes in the simmering stock. Take your time, and reap the benefits. Here’s how you do it:

Chicken zoodle soup

Hangry Timer: 2 Hours
Feeds: 6
Cost: $12

What you need:

5 Celery Stalks, diced
3-4 Carrots, diced
2 Zucchini, diced
1 Red Onion, diced
2 quarts Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp. Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless skinless
Rosemary Salt (rosemary optional)
2 Garlic Cloves, smashed
Salt
Pepper

What to do with it:

Chop the vegetables

Season chicken with rosemary salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a large pan and brown the chicken for ~4 minutes each side, add to simmering stock.

Add coconut oil to the chicken pan and brown the vegetables until tender but still crisp. Remove chicken, shred. Add everything to the pot. Let simmer for at least 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Eat.

*If you want to add noodles to the soup, cook them until al dente and keep in a separate container. Add the noodles per portion before heating, this way the noodles won’t soak up all the broth while stored in the fridge.

★★★