You know a good recipe by it’s longevity, and this is one of the first recipes I remember making in my first apartment for company. My grandparents were coming over for lunch, and I called my mom, totally stressed out, with absolutely no clue what to make. She told me how to make this recipe, item-by-item along with the recipe for a delicious chocolate cake with a thick, melty ganache-style icing for dessert. Lunch went off without a hitch, and I’ve continued to use and modify this recipe for years. It’s not fancy…it’s just delicious. It’s a classic, and you can make it with leftovers around your house, or with fresh ingredients. Don’t rush the steps….season after each step and build that flavour so those simple ingredients will shine…I feel all warm and fuzzy just thinking about it!

Recipe

Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil or butter
1 yellow onion, diced
4 carrots, peeled and diced
4 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves (or more!) of garlic
2 cups cooked chicken (either shredded rotisserie chicken, or a couple cooked and sliced chicken breasts)
4-6 cups chicken broth
2 cups noodles of your choice (I like rigatoni or fusilli best!)
salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley and dill, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add oil or butter.
Add onion and season with salt. Cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant.
Add carrots and celery. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often until veggies are softened.
Add garlic and chicken. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes before adding broth. Allow broth to come to a simmer on medium heat, and then add noodles (I like to use homemade broth, but store bought works just fine too!)
Cook until noodles are tender, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh herbs and enjoy with a side of warm bread (or saltines, if you are real nostalgic!)