A delicious, hearty chicken noodle soup that’s packed with germ-fighting herbs – perfect to stave off the chill and help the sniffles!
Every one knows that when you make a dish with love, it transforms into something magical… as it delivers much more than just the basic need to eat, but additionally delivers a true sense of warmth, comfort and a feeling of belonging…of being safe and loved. Take my husband, for instance. To this day, he will shun any other attempt of macaroni and cheese made by anyone other than his mother, as no restaurant version could possibly contain the “special ingredient” on which his mother has the patent!
As the chilly winter weather here in the Northwest has brought sniffles to our little noses (and mommy’s nose, too), I made this soup to pack a punch with the use of health-speeding herbs and spices. This recipe, which I would normally just refer to as plain ole’ Chicken Soup, has been renamed by my children to “Souper Soup!” Like the play on words…get it? Souper? Har Har… Okay…
I do realize that it might appear to be a pretty intensive recipe, but it’s really not. I used to make a chicken broth from scratch, which is ideal if you do have the time, but I usually do not. Now I use the organic, free-range, pre-prepared broth made by Pacific Natural Foods, which is a very nice flavorful broth that comes lightly seasoned already! To get started, I like to just lay everything out on the counter. Simmer the broth while the chicken is baking, then strain the “broth enhancers” out and combine the chicken, noodles, carrot and celery bits. You’ll have a fairly easy, and really nice and healthy version of this classic comfort food.
Plus all that love!
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 32oz cartons of organic chicken broth
- ½ cup olive oil (1/4 for chicken, ¼ for broth)
- 2 sprigs of rosemary (equal to 1½ tbl dried)
- 1 large sprig of Thyme (equal to 1½ tbl dried)
- 1 sprig (5-6 leaves) sage or (1 tbl ground sage)
- 1 full sprig of marjoram or oregano (1 tbl ground)
- 1 tbsp ground garlic
- 2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 medium onion
- 1 bulb of fresh garlic
- 4 stalks of celery
- 2 large peeled carrots
- ½ bag of organic fusili noodles
- In a medium baking pan, drizzle olive oil and line bottom of pan with half of the recommended amounts of herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram/oregano, sage.
- Place opened chicken thighs atop the herbs, drizzle more olive oil, then season with1 tsp sea salt, black pepper ½ ground garlic. Bake for 1 hour at 350F
- While chicken is baking, start broth: In a large soup pot, pour both cartons of chicken broth, then add skin plus one layer of onion to the liquid. Break and peel cloves of fresh garlic, split in half, and add to the liquid (and/or use remaining ½ tbsp of ground garlic).
- Break off leaves of fresh herbs and add to broth, or add remainder of the ground herbs at this time along with remaining 1 tsp sea salt, and ½ tsp black pepper and ¼ cup Olive Oil.
- Cover and simmer on low.
- Boil Fusilli according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- Chop celery and carrots, set aside.
- When chicken is done, chop, and set aside.
- Strain out large chunks out of broth into a large serving bowl, then add celery, carrots and chicken.
- Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
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