Here at Food52, we love recipes -- but do we always use them? Of course not. Because once you realize you don't always need a recipe, you'll make your favorite dishes a lot more often.
Today: Our former head of distribution and partnerships, Maddy Martin, beats back flu season with the purest, simplest form of chicken noodle soup.
My husband, Dana, normally has an iron stomach. But when he catches something at the office (often around this time of year) and comes back home with a cold, the go-to remedy is always a simple chicken noodle soup. The trick to making a good one, in my mind, is to create a quick, rich broth. This sets you up for a soup that's mild and throat-coating for your cold-stricken companion, but still flavorful enough to enjoy a bowl yourself (with your taste buds still in full working order).
Note that the method here calls for using only half of the pulled chicken you extract from the whole bird. If it suits you better to use all of that chicken for another recipe, this soup can certainly be plumped up with other add-ins, like turkey meatballs, shrimp dumplings, or matzo balls. And of course if you have bits of other vegetables lying around waiting to be called to action -- fennel tops, half a cauliflower, green garlic shoots -- feel free to add them to the simmering stock. The more the merrier.
How to Make Chicken Noodle Soup Without a Recipe
1. Take giblets et al. out of the whole chicken and put the bird in a large pot. Add water to fully submerge the chicken, along with 2 large whole carrots (scrubbed, not peeled), 3 stalks of celery (just washed), 1 quartered onion, about 5 sprigs each of fresh parsley and thyme, a bay leaf, and a teaspoon of cracked black peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until the chicken is fall-apart tender and the stock is flavorful, about 1 hour.
Note: You can put the fresh herbs in the sachet, but I don't. Perhaps letting them float around adds more flavor? I think so.
More: Take a deeper dive into the makings of homemade chicken stock.
2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside for a moment while you strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer (a colander lined with a clean kitchen towel works in a pinch) into a clean large bowl. Discard remaining stock solids, rinse the large pot, pour all but about two cups of stock back into the pot, and return it to the stove (not over any heat).
3. Pick all the chicken from the bones and place it into that large bowl you left with 2 cups of stock. The stock keeps the picked chicken moist while you get all the meat off the bones and prepare the soup.
Note: At this time you can separate dark and light meat into two bowls of broth, since you will be using only about half of the picked meat and can be choosy with what goes in the soup. I do this so I can get mostly dark meat in the soup (and use the white meat for chicken salad later), but it's up to you. I find the dark meat takes more kindly to reheating later on.
4. Add peeled and chopped carrots and chopped celery (both cut 1/8- to 1/4-inch thick) to the strained stock in the pot along with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a boil. Don't salt to taste here; just add a little to season the vegetables, as some broth will evaporate.
5. When the stock comes to a boil, taste a carrot. If it's still pretty crunchy, let the vegetables cook for another minute before adding the egg noodles. If the carrot is tender, I go in with the egg noodles right away after the stock comes to a boil. For the amount of egg noodles, I estimate 1/4 to 1/3 the volume of the stock in the pot, depending on how chock-full of noodles you like your soup.
When the noodles are al dente, add half of the picked chicken (reserving the rest for chicken salad, or whatever you like) along with the stock it steeped in, and warm through for a minute.
6. Add a handful of minced fresh parsley, lots of freshly ground black pepper, and salt to taste. Serve.
We're looking for contributors! Email [emailprotected] and tell us the dish you could make in your sleep, without a recipe.
Photos by James Ransom
FAQs
8 Low-Carb & Grain-Free Substitutes for Pasta
- Zucchini. Zucchini is a popular noodle substitute because its texture makes it easy to spiral out into spaghetti-like shapes. ...
- Cauliflower. ...
- Spaghetti Squash. ...
- Egg Noodles. ...
- Cucumber. ...
- Broccoli. ...
- Eggplant. ...
- Cabbage.
In most cases, stock and broth are interchangeable. If you're in the soup aisle and can't remember whether the recipe called for stock or broth, either will do for making soup, gravy, or a flavorful pot of rice or grains. Keep in mind that stock is unseasoned, and broth is seasoned.
Can I use water instead of chicken broth for soup? ›
Fortunately, we're here to let you in on a game-changing secret: Water makes a more than acceptable replacement for chicken stock in most soups, stews, sauces, and braises. And in many cases, water actually produces a better-tasting result.
Is chicken soup just chicken broth? ›
Broth is made from the chicken flesh, but not bones. It may have a good chicken flavor, but will lack the mouthfeel of a stock, and remains liquid when chilled. Soup is made from either broth or stock and generally is the finished product with added meat, vegetables and noodles or rice.
What can I use if I don't have noodles? ›
6 Healthy Alternatives to Traditional Pasta
- Zucchini Noodles or “Zoodles” Zucchini is low in saturated fat and sodium, and very low in cholesterol. ...
- Squash Noodles. ...
- Quinoa Pasta. ...
- Rice Pasta. ...
- Black Bean Pasta. ...
- Shirataki Noodles.
Cheese is an excellent way to add flavor to your pasta without having to rely on sauce. Try mixing your angel hair pasta with goat cheese, and toss in sun-dried tomatoes to make an amazing meal with just a few ingredients. Garlic butter is a terrific way to season all types of noodles.
What can I use if I don't have chicken stock for soup? ›
Vegetable broth is a simple one-to-one substitute that can stand in just about anywhere. This broth is made by steeping vegetables or vegetable scraps—and sometimes spices—instead of chicken in water.
What is a substitute for chicken broth in a recipe? ›
Vegetable broth: This is the most common and versatile substitute for chicken broth. It has a similar flavor profile, so it can be used in most recipes without any major changes. To substitute vegetable broth for chicken broth, simply use a 1:1 ratio.
What is better for chicken soup broth or stock? ›
A good broth is the secret to the very best soup, such as chicken soup and beef and barley, while a rich stock is the foundation for superior braises, stews and sauces, including French classics like demi-glace and sauce Espagnole, as well as the very best turkey gravy.
What's the difference between chicken soup and chicken broth? ›
Let's start by saying that broth and bouillon are synonymous and that if the broth is served as a dish in itself, then it's soup (especially if other vegetables, meats, grains, and seasonings are added).
“In general, stock and broth can be used interchangeably. However, there are times when it is more advantageous to choose one over the other,” Hill admits. Because stock is made from bones, it will infuse any recipe with stronger chicken flavor than broth.
Is chicken broth just boiled chicken water? ›
Chicken broth is the cooking liquid you find yourself with after you simmer the carcass, skin, and (sometimes) meat of the bird along with vegetables in water, and season it with salt, herbs, and spices. Broth might be lighter, but it has a complex enough flavor to be sipped and enjoyed all on its own.
What is the basic formula for making soup? ›
A Basic Formula:
1/2 part carrot. 1/4 part celery with leaves. 1/2 part root vegetables (celery root, rutabaga, turnips, etc.) 1 part leafy vegetables (salad greens, chard, kale, turnip greens, mizuna, dandelion, escarole, endive, collards, etc.)
Is chicken broth in Campbell's chicken noodle soup? ›
We bundle the tastes you crave from home into Campbell's® Condensed Homestyle Chicken Noodle Soup. Crafted with the delicious, low-fat combination of comforting chicken broth, enriched noodles and chicken meat with no antibiotics, our soup is satisfying and it's low in cholesterol too!
What can I replace rice and pasta with? ›
These Rice and Pasta substitutes like Riced cauliflower, Bajra Roti, Couscous, etc. can add variety to your diet and have fewer calories. Quinoa is gluten free and a complete protein with nine essential amino acids. Broccoli is an excellent source of Vitamin C that can boost our immunity.
What are the healthiest noodles for soup? ›
Rice noodles are often considered one of the healthiest options available. They are naturally gluten-free, low in fat, and easy to digest. P'Nut Asian Kitchen incorporates rice noodles into many of their dishes, including the popular Pad Thai and Wonton Noodle Soup.
What is a healthy substitute for rice noodles? ›
Look for those to boost the nutritional content a bit, or opt for soba, kelp or shirataki noodles instead, which are all higher in fiber and nutrients than rice noodles.
What is the lowest carb noodle? ›
"Vegetable-based pastas, such as zucchini noodles or hearts of palm noodles, tend to be lowest in carbs and calories," says Sassos. "They are also packed with nutrient-dense vitamins and minerals and are naturally gluten-free. Shirataki noodles and kelp noodles are also quite low in carbs and calories."
