Comfort Food: Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

I had a house full of people for much of this week, with relatives waiting to find whether they could return home after being evacuated from wild fires here in San Diego.  Since the air quality is unhealthy, all we were left to do is watch the information coming from the television, and well, eat, of course.

Although our guests are now safely back in their untouched home (their pool is covered with ash), I had begun to make some comfort food for everyone, planning that they may have to return.  And what better comfort food than chicken noodle soup?  I made enough for the army, and since they didn’t return, the three of us have enjoyed it two nights in a row.  Of course, the second night, the noodles had absorbed quite a bit of the broth, so "soup" wouldn’t be the best name for this lip-smacking scrumptious bowl of wonder on the second night.

It’s inexpensive, easy and fairly quick.  And each time I make it, it’s a bit different depending on what I have in the refrigerator. Nothing fancy — just tasty.  And if you want to make a meatless version, use some canned white beans that have been rinsed well.  Chop some chard and add that, too.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 T olive oil
9 chicken thighs (with skin & bones)
2 lg. garlic cloves, sliced
1 log. shallot, sliced
8 c. veggie bouillon
6 roma tomatoes, quartered and seeded
3 stalks celery, sliced
1-1/2 c. baby carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
1/4 c. chopped cilantro, loosely packed
4 chopped green onions
12 oz. sturdy pasta

Directions

Heat 8 c. water for the bouillon until very warm.  Add bouillon and stir to mix.  Set aside.

In a kettle, brown chicken in olive oil skin side down first, turning once, until golden in color.  Add shallots and garlic and stir.  Cook until softened but not browned.  Add veggie bouillon, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add all the veggies, stir and cover, cooking over medium heat until it begins to simmer.  Reduce heat, but maintain the simmer.  Keep covered and simmer for 30-40 minutes, making sure chicken thighs are cooked through.  Remove any fat from the surface of the pot and discard.

While soup is cooking, prepare noodles according to package directions, but remove from water while still a bit chewy.  Drain and set aside.

When chicken is cooked, add noodles to the pan and stir, cooking for about 10 minutes more.

Add the cilantro and stir in.  Serve.

Notes: I have made chicken noodle soup with boneless, skinless breasts as well, but browning the chicken with skin always improves the flavor.  I’ve also used frozen chopped veggies, depending on what’s on hand, and that works, too.  I use bouillon instead of prepared broth most often because I like the flavor, and the packages take up less space in my cupboard.  Silly, but true.  The broth was very good with this particular combination (I used Knorr cubes), but because I added so many noodles, the next night, it had been absorbed.  So I’d half the noodles to get it just right.  Of course, had the crowd still been around, the pot would have been licked clean.