Chicken Noodle Soup

“To feel safe and warm on a cold wet night, all you really need is soup.”
- Laurie Colwin

I had been craving homemade chicken noodle soup for weeks.  The weather was cold, dreary, and perfect for a steaming bowl.  It's not that chicken noodle soup is difficult to make, but it can be a bit time consuming what with all the chopping and picking meat from bones.  You can take a short cut and use all boneless/skinless breasts or a store-bought rotisserie chicken, or if you are really pressed for time *eek, I can't believe I'm suggesting this* use canned chicken.  At any rate, I finally said, forget this mess, I'm going to have my chicken noodle soup.  The results?  Well, Progresso and Healthy Choice, eat your heart out.  If you don't like egg noodles, you could add your choice of rice - it just might take a bit longer to cook.

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 14.5oz cans low-sodium Chicken broth (I prefer Swanson)

7 1/4 cups water

5lb fryer (roasting hens are not as juicy)

1 small onion (2" diam)

4 medium carrots

4 stalks celery

1/2 TB rotisserie seasoning

2 1/2 - 3 1/4 cups egg noodles

1.  Place chicken in microwave safe dish with lid (Pampered Chef Covered Baker, Corelle, Corning Ware, etc).  Microwave on HIGH 25-35 minutes.  Check temperature in thigh and breast (should be 165º).  If the legs look like they are drying out (brownish/red), and breast is almost done, remove from microwave and let stand covered.  It will continue to cook.  *I cooked mine 30 minutes, thigh was done, breast was almost done, added 7 minutes, and the legs were too done to use*  You are going to be boiling the chicken with the vegetables, so even if it's not all the way done, it will continue to cook.  You just don't want to be pulling raw/bloody meat from the bone.

2.  While the chicken cooks, halve onion (green end to root end), place cut side on board and thinly slice.

3.  Wash and trim celery (white and leafy parts).  Thinly slice on diagonal.

4.  Peel and trim carrots (both ends).  Thinly slice on diagonal.

5.  Add broth, water, vegetables, and rotisserie seasoning to large (7qt-ish), heavy stock pot or Dutch oven.  *I used a 7.8qt Lodge enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven*  Bring to a simmer.

6.  Carefully remove chicken from baking dish and pick all usable meat from the bone, including any meat from the back (it's really tender!).  Chop into 1/2" chunks.  Add to broth (broth does not have to be simmering before you add the chicken, just add chicken as you pick/chop it).

7.  Once vegetables are tender (about an hour and 15 minutes from the time I turned on the cap), add between 2 1/2 and 3 1/4 cups egg noodles.  Stir frequently until noodles are tender (10-15 minutes).