Cooking chicken breast for chicken noodle soup is a fundamental step in creating a comforting and nourishing dish that’s ideal for any time of the year. The method guarantees that the chicken will be tender, flavorful, and a welcome addition to your broth. In this article, will explain how to cook chicken breast for chicken noodle soup.
Ingredients
- 2 breasts of boneless, skinless poultry
- 8 pints of homemade or store-bought chicken broth.
- 1 shallot, minced
- 2 peeled and cut carrots
- 2 celery stalks that have been thinly cut
- 2 minced cloves of garlic
- 2 laurel fronds
- 1 teaspoon of dried or fresh thyme sprigs.
- pepper and salt to flavor
- 2 cups of egg noodles (or your favored noodle variety).
- Fresh parsley, minced (optional garnish)
How To Cook Chicken Breast For Chicken Noodle Soup?
Instruction
1. Prep The Chicken
First, choose two chicken breasts that don’t have any bones or skin. For even cooking, these should be about the same size all around. Use a knife or kitchen shears to cut off any extra fat or parts that don’t belong. Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. To give the flesh flavor, the chicken is seasoned before cooking.
2. Sear The Chicken (optional)
- Before adding the poultry to the soup, sear it to enhance its flavor and texture.
- In a large broth pot or Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil or olive oil over medium heat.
- Once the oil is heated and shimmering, add the chicken breasts that have been seasoned.
- Allow them to cook undisturbed for approximately 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until a golden-brown exterior forms.
- This stage is optional, but it deepens the flavor of your soup by caramelizing the chicken.
3. Add Vegetables And Aromatic Ingredients
- Onions, carrots, and celery make up the traditional trinity of vegetables in chicken noodle soup.
- Chop one medium-sized onion, two peeled and sliced carrots, and two celery stalks.
- Additionally, mince two garlic cloves to add flavor.
- Add these vegetables as well as two bay leaves and a teaspoon of dried thyme (or a tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves) to the saucepan.
- For approximately 5 minutes, sauté the vegetables until they begin to mellow and become aromatic.
4. Pour In The Chicken Broth
- In the pot, add eight cups (two gallons) of chicken broth.
- You may use either homemade or store-bought chicken bouillon.
- Cover the chicken and vegetables with broth.
- The flavorful broth serves as the base of your soup and imparts a delectable flavor.
5. Simmer
- Turn down the heat and keep the broth at a low boil.
- Let the chicken simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until it is cooked all the way through.
- The chicken is done when the temperature inside it hits 74 degrees Celsius (165 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Cooking time is reduced when the chicken is sliced into smaller pieces.
- Simmering softens the chicken and brings the flavors together.
6. Remove The Chicken
- Upon completion of cooking, remove the chicken from the soup with tongs and position it on a clean cutting board.
- Permit it to cool for several minutes.
- Taking the poultry out at this point prevents it from becoming overcooked and tough.
7. Shred The Chicken
- To prepare the poultry for the soup, shred the cooked chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Alternately, if you prefer chicken chunks in your soup, you can dice the chicken into tiny cubes.
8. Add Noodles
- While the chicken cools, bring the soup back to a boil.
- Add your pick of two cups of noodles to the boiling broth.
- People often use egg noodles, but you can use any kind of noodle you like.
- The directions on the package say to cook the noodles until they are “al dente,” which means they are done but still have a little bit of a bite to them.
9. Return Chicken To The Soup
- Once the noodles have reached the desired doneness, return the chicken to the saucepan.
- Stir it into the broth to incorporate all the tasty ingredients.
10. Season And Serve
- Taste the soup and add salt and pepper if you think it needs it.
- Don’t forget to take out the bay leaves before serving.
- They add taste, but you don’t want someone to eat one by accident.
- If you want, you can sprinkle chopped fresh parsley on top of your homemade chicken noodle soup.
Recipe Variations
- For a creamy texture, add 2 to 4 tablespoons of heavy cream or half-and-half to the chicken noodle soup. This is what we do to make our chicken soup creamy.
- Add three to four lemon wedges to make lemon chicken soup, which is similar to this Lemony Chicken and Vegetable Soup.
- Add three or four lime slices, substitute fresh cilantro for the parsley, and then stir in diced tomatoes and avocado cubes for Mexican-style chicken broth. You can even add diced maize tortillas to this tortilla chicken soup, as we have done.
- By adding a teaspoon of toasted sesame oil and a few dashes of fish sauce, you can make a very delicious and umami-rich broth.
- Add raw spinach or kale at the end of cooking for a soup with more vegetables.
- Substitute potatoes, winter squash, rice, quinoa, or grains for the vermicelli. Alongside the shallots and carrots, add hearty vegetables (such as potatoes) to the pot. Add rice and cereals that have already been cooked. (For inspiration, consider our sausage and potato soup or our homemade velvety potato soup)
- Substitute tortellini for noodles — I adore substituting tortellini for noodles in this vegetable tortellini broth.
- Our recipe adheres to traditional ingredients and seasonings, but that doesn’t mean you can’t add anything to make it your own:
Leftover
- For the easiest chicken noodle soup, don’t add chicken legs to the pot. Instead, add two to three cups of shredded or diced cooked chicken from a rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken.
- Since cooking the chicken tenders is no longer necessary, reduce the simmering time by 10 minutes. This method is utilized whenever a whole chicken was roasted the night before.
Tips
- After adding raw chicken breasts to the pot, gently bring the soup to a boil. As with poached chicken, if you rush this stage, the chicken may become tough rather than tender.
- Season the soup to flavor with salt and pepper. The sodium content of chicken broth can vary significantly between brands, so adjust the amount of salt in this recipe to your liking.
- The addition of fresh dill to the cooked broth enhances its flavor. If you dislike cilantro, feel free to leave it out of the recipe.
- Depending on how much the noodles have absorbed as they simmer, you may need to add an additional 1-2 cups of broth once the soup is complete.
- The vermicelli will absorb more broth over time. If you want to make the soup ahead of time, boil the noodles separately and add them to individual bowls of soup just before serving. Alternatively, when serving, simply add more broth to the soup with vermicelli.
With properly prepared chicken breast as the focal point, your chicken noodle soup will be a bowl of comforting, flavorful warmth. Knowing how to cook chicken breast for chicken noodle soup is a valuable culinary skill, whether you’re seeking a soothing remedy for a chilly day or a heartwarming meal to share with loved ones.
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