Recipe: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

We've been feeling a bit under the weather in the SIL house.... Jesse and I both have the flu (after we thought we'd dodged the bullet after feeling like we were on the verge of getting it for two weeks!) and Jesse had a slight case of food poisoning on Saturday night. 

Needless to say, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup was a must have. 

When I was younger, just the smell or thought of Chicken Noodle Soup was enough to make me feel sick. You see, my sister is a fan and has Mum cooking up a pot the second she comes down with a bug or starts feeling queasy - but in said pot is a packet soup mix that I always hated. 

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup was always something I wanted to perfect as I started cooking and when Jesse moved here, I worked on perfecting it. When he was struck down with an unidentifiable bug and in hospital last year after our Bali Honeymoon, I knew exactly what my poor husband needed....

I set to work to create the perfect Healthy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe - and I succeeded.

Now it's the one thing Jesse asks for every time he's feeling under the weather, and I'm more than happy to cook him up a pot. Not only does it taste delicious, it's super easy to make, has no artificial nasties and additives, gluten free, low fat and it's scientifically proven to make you feel better*
*Okay I made that up - but, placebo effect, people!

Since I've perfected my Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe, I now feel like I can be a mother (one day, don't jump out of your seat, friends!) and a wife. It's one of those recipes everyone should perfect - but I've already done the hard work for you ;) 

So let me give you the recipe >> 

Healthy Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe 

easily adapted to make as many serves as you like, base recipe serves 2

gluten free option, low fat, clean eating friendly 

1 small onion, diced 

1 carrot, sliced or diced (depending on how chunky you'd like your veggies 

Optional: 1 celery rib, diced (we don't always have celery in the fridge so often leave this out) 

1 clove garlic, crushed 

1/4 tsp ground sage leaves 

1/4 tsp ground thyme

Salt and pepper

2 cups chicken stock (if you don't want the broth too strong, feel free to use half stock half water)

~100g of your favourite noodles or pasta (we use egg noodles as Jesse likes the texture best - but feel free to use whatever you prefer, gluten free or non-gluten free)

1/2-1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (shortcut option: use a barbecue/rotisserie chicken)

Optional: ~1 tsp butter/margarine

This recipe makes enough soup for 2 people, however, you can easily scale it up to serve as many as you want - simply add more vegetables, noodles, chicken and stock! If you need help scaling it up, just ask!

In a medium saucepan, saute your onion, carrot, garlic and celery (if using) until just softened and the onions start to turn translucent. If you find your vegetables sticking to the pan, add a couple of tablespoons of your stock

Next add in your sage, thyme and salt and pepper and stir to mix through your vegetables. 

Add in your noodles and chicken stock and bring to the boil, stirring to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom. 

Allow to simmer until your noodles are cooked and your soup reaches your desired consistency (Jesse likes his with only a little bit of broth so we let the soup cook down for quite some time)

Just before your soup is finished, add in your cooked chicken breast and allow to cook through. If using, add in your butter and allow to melt through (this isn't really a necessary ingredient, it just mellows the flavours of the soup a little bit and is a trick I was taught by an old family friend!)

If your soup is too thick or not liquid-y enough, just add some more water or chicken stock. 

Serve immediately or allow to cool before storing in a sealed container in the fridge. 

This soup also freezes really well - just pop the cooled soup in a zip lock bag and freeze.

But tell me, what foods do you turn to when you're not feeling well? 

For me, it's always dry carbs, bananas, apples and anything plain and salty.

And what were the foods your family made when you were sick as a child? 

When I was little, Mum always made Katrina Chicken Noodle Soup whilst I'd have Vegemite on toast, plain pasta or rice or Lemonade ice blocks/Popsicles