Chicken Noodle Soup For Two

I made this Chicken Noodle Soup For Two a few weeks ago. Mike, Peter, and I had just gotten back from a trip around dinner time and didn’t have much in our refrigerator. I looked at the potential ingredients that we did have and decided to make Chicken Noodle Soup. To make this simple meal homier and extra special, I made a quick version of our homemade stock. We had just enough ingredients for the two of us, but this recipe can be easily doubled (or tripled!) for more servings.

This soup is easy and substantial. It’s warm, inviting fragrance brings everyone into the kitchen. Hearty and robust – this cold weather soup is sure to be your new family favorite. Top your bowl off by broiling some Gruyere on pieces of day old bread drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper until gorgeously golden.

Chicken Noodle Soup For Two
Serves 2
For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Ingredients

1 large boneless chicken breast
2 scallions, left whole
1 bay leaf
1 thyme branch
2 black peppercorns
1 allspice berry
2 cloves
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 pound extra wide egg noodles

Preparation

1. Put chicken breast in medium saucepan and cover with two cups of water. Add scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice berry, cloves, and a dash of kosher salt and a grind of fresh pepper.
2. Simmer chicken in broth over medium-high heat until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about thirty minutes, flipping chicken midway.
3. Turn off heat and remove chicken. After chicken has cooled, shred with a fork and your fingers. Set aside.
4. Strain broth into a medium sized bowl and reserve. Discard scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice and cloves.
5. In the same saucepan over medium heat, add 1 teaspoon of butter, olive oil, garlic and shallot. Cook until garlic and shallot tender, about five minutes. Stir in carrots and celery, cooking another ten minutes or until tender.
6. Slowly stir in reserved stock to saucepan. Add shredded chicken, a big dash of salt, a grind of fresh black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Turn heat down to low, stirring occasionally.
7. Season soup to taste. Add more water and seasonings if necessary.
8. Meanwhile, boil salted water for pasta. Add in pasta when water boils, cooking according to pasta’s packaging instructions.
9. Drain cooked pasta. Toss remaining teaspoon of butter on pasta to coat.
10. Ladle soup into two bowls. Add buttered pasta into each bowl.
11. Serve with plain or Gruyere broiled bread. Enjoy!

– C