OK, I don’t know about you, but I could eat chicken noodle soup any time of year. And I just happened to have some leftover baked “fried” chicken that once again had been a majestic failure. Oh the chicken was semi-tasty, but the recipe author had promised me that the breading would be crisp and crunchy even though the chicken was baked rather than fried. And he had stated that the spices would really set this chicken apart from every other baked “fried” chicken I had ever prepared or tasted. All I can say to that is – liar, liar!
OK, maybe I didn’t prepare it correctly. But for once I actually followed the instructions. (Perhaps that was my first mistake.) Anyway – I was not happy with the results. So I had a whole passel of not crispy, rather blah tasting “fried” chicken residing in my refrigerator. And if a platter of leftover chicken can manage to look forlorn, this chicken had it down pat! So, what to do?
Well for sure I’m not into throwing chicken away. So I thought about using it in a casserole. But I wasn’t in the mood for a casserole. I know, picky, picky! But I have to be in the mood for a certain food or type of dish before I can really do it justice. Just like with colors.
When I am creating a mosaic object, I have to like the colors I’m using or I simply can’t create the piece. So much so that when my daughter Paula asked me to do a table top for her in purple and green, I just couldn’t do it. Couldn’t make myself work with purple. I did make a table top for her, but it sure didn’t include purple!
Anyway, food is the same way for me. If I don’t like an ingredient, I can’t force myself to use it. And you wonder why I never became a chef! Anyway, I wasn’t into eating a casserole for dinner last evening, but I knew I would totally enjoy a big old bowl of homemade soup. Hence, this recipe.
Now of course this recipe is just like every other chicken noodle soup recipe out there. But I wanted to remind you that just because a recipe doesn’t come out as you envisioned, doesn’t mean that you can’t take what’s left of it, or parts of it, and turn it into something outstanding. (Called making lemonade out of lemons.) (It also doesn’t mean that you can’t dump the whole darn thing and start anew!) And just because one cook likes a dish and is proud enough about it to post it for the entire world to view, doesn’t mean everyone is going to appreciate it as much as they do. Everyone’s taste is different. And everyone’s level of experience in the kitchen is also a consideration on how well any given dish will turn out. So when I wrote liar, liar earlier, it was just for the fun of being able to write it out. (I’ve actually always wanted to yell it at the top of my lungs at someone, but have as yet to lower myself to that level. But it still could happen. I’m getting older after all!) But back to this recipe. (It’s so hard for me to stay on track!)
Like I said, this is just a plain old everyday chicken noodle soup recipe. No fancy ingredients, no special secret to the best soup you will ever taste. Just a good recipe for building a healthy soup using leftover chicken. (Notice I didn’t write that this was going to be the best soup you ever tasted. Absolutely cannot make that statement!)
What I can say however, is that I still plan to never ever wear purple! Because I’ve heard it said that at least in western culture, purple is a symbol of jealousy, deceit, and sadness. In fact, in the 16th century it was the official color of grieving. Even earlier, around 1200, Pope Innocent II made it the official color of repentance. Hence the deceit part. (Because everyone knows that those who must repent are deceitful!) So I plan to forgo deceit too if at all possible. (Now if only those in charge of our country would do the same…….but I digress!!)
So to reiterate: this is a recipe for a good chicken noodle soup, made with healthy ingredients, and at least in my case, a whole lot of love. (That’s always one of the secret ingredients I include in all of my recipes.)
So till next time, stay healthy, stay happy, and stay focused on being the best possible person you can be. Peace and love to all.
2 T. butter
½ onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 small carrots, halved then thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 T. chopped fresh parsley, divided
6 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
1 bay leaf
¼ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
½-1 c. frozen petite peas
½ – ¾ lb. leftover chicken, cut into bite sized pieces (no bones, but coating is fine)
2 c. thick egg noodles, cooked al dente 2-3 sliced green onions
Heat the butter in a large, covered soup pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of the parsley; cook for 1 minute.
Add the chicken stock, chicken base, bay leaf, dried thyme, seasoned salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pot, and simmer gently for about 45 minutes or until the carrot pieces are completely tender.
Just before ready to serve, stir in the peas, chicken pieces, remaining fresh parsley, and the al dente noodles. (And no, don’t cook the pasta in the chicken broth. Cook the pasta separately. If you cook the pasta in the soup broth it just adds unnecessary starch to the soup.) Adjust seasoning and discard the bay leaf.
Serve in soup bowls garnished with sliced green onions. Pass oyster or regular saltine crackers.