Winter Veggie Chicken Noodle Soup

After being sick for nearly a week I decided I’d had enough and it was time to make the cure-all: chicken noodle soup. When you’re feeling icky and most foods are less appetizing, chicken soup is one of those comforts that can help merely by being delicious. But, it also is a perfect food because it is hydrating, anti-inflammatory, and incredibly nutritious. There’s a reason it’s sometimes referred to as “jewish penicillin”. It’s also a food that is much better when made at home from scratch. 

I always try to make chicken soup using homemade stock but subbing the store-bought stuff is okay if you’re in a hurry or don’t like things that taste amazing. For this winter/cold-season version I add extra winter veggies and ginger (inspired by a tip from Binging with Babish) that creates a nice warmth to the dish and is especially good if you’re fighting a cold.

Contrary to convention there is no chicken meat in this chicken noodle soup. Instead there are just a whole host of tasty veggie bits and yummy noodles in each spoonful. If you are using homemade chicken stock I think the soup is plenty chickeny without the added meat. That said, if you just roasted a chicken and have some leftover scraps, throw them in, it won’t hurt.

Ingredients

Serves 6 friends or one sick couple for 3 meals

• 1 finger of ginger, peeled and chopped finely

• 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

• ½ large yellow onion, chopped

• 1-2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 medium leek, sliced

• 1-2 carrots, sliced

• 1 medium parsnip, peeled and sliced

• 1 glass of dry white wine (optional)

• 3 quarts chicken stock (homemade preferred)

• ½ bunch kale, de stemmed and sliced

• ½ lb of elbow pasta or other shape good for soup (optional)

• Olive oil

Method

1. Prepare all your veggies. When chopping or slicing the various types of veg, consider how big you want them to be when you are taking a spoonful of soup. I generally chop my onions and celery into small squares and slice my carrots and parsnips into small half moons so that I’ll be able to fit them in a spoon. Size also determines the end texture of the veg. Smaller means quicker cooking time and probably softer, larger means you can maintain some texture. I don’t mind if the leeks are tender and almost melt into the soup but I want my carrot slices thicker so they retain a bite and don’t turn to mush.

This chicken soup recipe requires three pots, but it’s worth it. I have leeks, onions and celery sautéing in my large orange dutch oven, water coming to the boil for pasta in the pale blue pot, and chicken broth heating simultaneously in a third. My parsnips and kale are ready when I need them.

2. Heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of a large dutch oven or stock pot on medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant but before they brown. Meanwhile, in a separate pot, heat the chicken stock until simmering, and in a third pot, boil water for pasta if including.

3. Add onion, celery and leek, salt and pepper generously and stir to incorporate. Cook until the onion becomes translucent but before anything begins to brown.

4. When you are on the verge of browning or when the pan appears dry, add a glass of white wine and cook off until the alcohol smell milds. If you don’t have white wine on hand, substitute water.

5. Add your chicken stock and adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add carrots and parsnips and kale.

6. Boil your pasta in the separate pot. The carrots and parsnips and kale will tenderize but not over cook in the time it takes to boil the pasta.

7. Strain the pasta and serve with the soup. Be sure to adjust the soup for seasoning before serving, especially if you are using low sodium or unseasoned chicken broth. I like to add an extra twist of black pepper and a drizzle of good olive oil to my bowl right before digging in and a grating of parmesan never hurt. Enjoy!

I topped my bowl with parmesan and a lot of black pepper. Get some good bread for dipping and enjoy.