Chicken Noodle Soup {Freezer Meal}
The kids and I wanted to make a meal and cards for a friend who was feeling under the weather today. By the way, I’m learning (thanks to some amazing friends I have who do this) that serving others alongside my kids is the best way to teach them to think of others. What’s more comforting to a sick friend than Homemade Chicken Noodle soup? We also delivered some Homemade Wheat Sandwich Bread (below) and some fresh cut up fruit for her family.
My family and hers l-o-v-e-d this veggie-rich version of Chicken Noodle Soup. I even subbed purple cabbage in for parsnips in the pot of soup pictured below, because I had it on hand! This recipe is creamy, hearty, and comforting, plus it’s easy to adapt. The keys are seasoning each step of the way, making a roux (instructions in the recipe), and using a good store-bought version of egg noodles or homemade ones (even better!).
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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup. This veggie rich version is creamy, hearty, and oh-so comforting!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 cooked chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, diced (I use organic)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3–4 medium organic carrots, chopped
- 2 medium parsnips, chopped (optional)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat; if using homemade noodles you do not need to add this)
- 10 cups organic chicken broth (2 and 1/2 boxes or this Homemade Chicken Broth recipe)
- about 9 ounces uncooked store-bought egg noodles (or the Homemade Whole Wheat Noodles on our site)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- In a large stock pot, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium to med-high heat.
- Season chicken with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Cook chopped chicken until no longer pink (maybe 4-5 minutes). Remove and set aside.
- Add 3 tablespoons oil. Throw onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, and garlic in and season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook until just tender, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove and set aside. (Cooking Note: You can skip this step and just add these veggies raw to the broth in Step 4, but this method infuses more flavor.)
- Whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour and a splash or two of chicken broth for about 2 minutes (until it forms a golden brown paste).
- Whisk in the rest of chicken broth a little at a time, making sure lumps don’t form. (Cooking Note: The point of this step is to cook the flour a bit and create a thickening paste to the broth. If you are using the Homemade Whole Wheat Egg Noodles from our Recipe Index, you can skip this step.)
- Add vegetables, bay leaves, basil, oregano, salt and pepper (go shy on this since you can add more at the end) and let simmer for 5-10 minutes.
- Add egg noodles and chicken. Bring back to a boil and turn down heat to a simmer.
- Cook noodles a little less than the package recommends, so you don’t overcook them. Or if you’re using fresh homemade egg noodles, simmer for about 20-25 minutes until noodles are fat and tender.
- Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning as needed. Top with chopped parsley to garnish. Serve warm.
Notes
Freezer Meal Instructions:
To Freeze:
If you plan to freeze this recipe for later, cook your soup but be sure to under cook your noodles by a few minutes. Cool soup and freeze in a BPA-free freezer bag or air-tight freezable container for up to two months.
To Prepare:
When ready to eat, thaw in fridge overnight (or for several hours). Then, warm over low heat on the stove. You can also use the microwave.
About what size container would this fit into for a freezer meal? New mom in less than a month here, and your website is helping me so much to prepare so that we don’t go hungry (or broke and sick buying fast food lol) once baby gets here! =D
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A gallon size plastic bag should work great! Just make sure to cool the soup before putting it in there. I also sometimes double bag mine if I’m using off brand bags. 🙂
I’m in love with all your recipes! I am a working mom, and being able to prep foods over the weekend so my family has healthy, home cooked meals during the week gives me confidence as a mother. Thank you for being a blessing in my life! Could you please tell me if it’s possible to make this into a slow cooker recipe?
Hi Jessica. Oh thank you so much for your sweet comment. We just love knowing that our site is helping moms just like you. As for this recipe, I would not suggest making it in the slow cooker just because I think the noodles could get too mushy. Without having tried it, it’s hard to say.