Foodie Fridays: Chicken Noodle Soup

On a cold winter day, what could be more welcome than a steaming bowl of chicken noodle soup?  I like to make mine with frozen egg noodles, which are thicker and chewier than dried ones, almost more like a dumpling than pasta.  If I am feeling industrious, I will boil up some chicken pieces to make a homemade broth, but usually I take the lazy way out and use prepared chicken stock and cooked chicken from the supermarket deli.  I do always sauté my vegetables for added flavor in my soups.  I had some leftover cooking juices from some chicken breasts I baked in sherry, so I added that to the soup as well (you can never add too much flavor to a soup!).  This soup is almost thick enough to be a stew, especially when reheated, so I like to thin it out a bit with some water or stock to a more souplike consistency when necessary.  January is National Soup Month, and for good reason, so try a bowl of this soup on one of this month's chilly days!

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 T. oil or butter
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 small onion, diced
4 C. chicken stock (I use unsalted)
1 C. water
1/2-1 tsp. poultry seasoning (or to taste)
1/2-1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 package (12 oz.) frozen egg noodles
1 C. frozen peas
1 1/2 C. diced cooked chicken

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sauté the vegetables in the oil until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Combine the vegetables with the stock, water, poultry seasoning, and salt in a large saucepan or pot and bring to a boil.  Add the egg noodles and return to a boil.  Cook for 20 minutes or until the noodles are tender.  Add the peas and cook for a couple of minutes, then stir in the chicken and heat through.  If the soup seems too thick, add up to one cup of water or stock.  Taste for seasoning, and add more salt if needed.  Serves 6.

Note: I use very little salt when cooking.  I always use unsalted stock or broth and add salt to taste.  If you use a stock or broth that contains salt, taste your soup frequently and adjust the saltiness to your own taste preference.