Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: The Easy Way
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is my go to dish when I am sick. As a matter of fact, this version is so easy to make that I cook even when I am sick myself. For added health benefits be sure and ready my post on making homemade chicken broth here.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup is obviously the answer in this scenario. The question though is how to do it the easy way.
For this reason my Instant Pot
I use the Instant Pot to brown the chicken tenders and once that is done the cook time takes 6 minutes. Chicken tenders eliminate the need to cut chicken. If you cook the chicken first then the tendons are definitely easier to remove.
This is just another reason this recipe is so simple to prepare.
The taste is also better in my opinion.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: The Ingredients
For this recipe you will need:
2 lb chicken tenders
1 lb pasta
1.5 cups each celery and carrots chopped
2 quarts chicken broth
salt
pepper
thyme
ground sage
I use elbow macaroni pasta in my chicken noodle soup. Small noodles are easy to eat when you are sick given that you are usually in a reclined position.
The thyme and ground sage are paramount in the flavor to this soup. Don’t skip it! The flavor will not be the same without these two ingredients.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: The Recipe
First fill your stock pot with water and cook noodles according to package directions.
Second season your chicken tenders with salt and pepper on both sides.
Third, add 1 TBSP olive oil to the Instant Pot and lightly brown chicken on both sides. Just 2-3 minutes on each side. You don’t want to cook them completely.
The chicken will not all fit in the Instant Pot at once. Do it in batches and put browned chicken on a plate while you cook the remainder of the chicken.
Then once all of the chicken has been browned add it back into the Instant Pot.
In addition add 1 cup of chicken broth to the Instant Pot with the chicken tenders.
Use the manual setting to add 6 minutes. Let the chicken cook.
While it cooks chop your celery and carrots. Add the 2 quarts of chicken stock to a dutch oven. One of your quarts of chicken broth will be missing the cup you added to the Instant Pot. But it will get added back in.
Next add vegetables to the dutch oven and allow them to simmer in the chicken broth.
Once the chicken is cooked allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for about 10 minutes while your veggies simmer.
After the Chicken is Cooked
Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot as soon as the pressure is released from the Instant Pot.
Next use a mesh strainer and strain the broth from the Instant Pot into your dutch oven where the celery and carrots are simmering.
This will add a wonderful flavor while adding back in the cup of broth you used.
Immediately break the chicken up with your fingers and remove the tendons as needed. They will be very soft and easy to work with.
Once the chicken is ready drain the noodles then quickly add them both to the dutch oven with the veggies.
Season the soup to taste with salt, pepper, ground sage and thyme. To clarify, add each seasoning and stir while it simmers. Taste the soup for the simple fact that you will know if it requires additional seasoning.
Simmer it all together for 5-6 minutes. The soup will be very hot so with this in mind be careful as you dish it up.
Finally serve and enjoy!
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup: The Result
As shown above, this soup should be a staple on your menu because of the fact that it is so easy to prepare. In particular the use of chicken tenders as well as the Instant Pot are big time savers. The soup will freeze well so by all means make extra!
My savvy tip for today is to keep the ingredients for this soup on hand for the simple fact that you never know when someone will get sick. You definitely want the ingredients available whenever the flu strikes!