Chicken Noodle Soup

I’ve been sick for the past few days, and there are several things I do to self-comfort when I’m not feeling well. Ever since I was very young, my mother swears that fresh-squeezed orange juice always cures me. But I also crave the comfort and magical healing powers of chicken noodle soup. I usually try to keep some of this soup in the freezer to have on hand when the need arises, but this recipe is easy enough that I can usually muster the energy to prepare it even when I’m under the weather. Once you try this recipe, you will never settle for the canned soup again.

Source: Chicken Noodle Soup, Williams Sonoma Soup

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock or prepared broth
1 skinless, boneless whole chicken breast, about ½ pound
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
2 ounces dried thin egg noodles
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the chicken breast and simmer just until tender and no trace of pink remains, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the chicken cool in the liquid. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.

Return the chicken stock to a simmer over medium-high heat and add the onion, carrots, and celery. Simmer until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 10 minutes, skimming away any foam that rises to the surface of the stock.

Add the cubed chicken, noodle, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the noodles are tender, about 3 minutes.

Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Serve immediately.