Chicken noodle soup: the American classic with shredded meat and egg noodles
American chicken noodle soup differs from Polish chicken broth mainly in that the vegetables are first softened in butter and the meat goes back into the pot shredded rather than sitting in pieces on the side. Remember one rule that saves leftovers — cook the noodles separately if the soup has to last until tomorrow.
Your own work in that: 0 min.
- Softening the vegetables 10 min
- Simmering the chicken 40 min
- Shredding the meat 10 min
- Noodles 10 min
Step by step
0 / 5 doneSoften the vegetables
Dice the onion, carrot and celery and cook in butter for 8 minutes until soft and fragrant. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. This softening in butter gives the soup a depth simmering alone cannot.
Ingredients: 700 g chicken thighs · 1 pcs onion · 3 pcs carrots · 3 pcs celery · 30 g butter · 3 cloves garlic · 2000 ml water · 2 pcs bay leaves · 1 tsp thyme · 2 tsp salt · 1 tsp peppercorns
The classic trio: onion, carrot, celery.Simmer the chicken
Add the thighs, cover with water and add the bay, thyme, peppercorns and salt. Bring to the boil, skim the scum and simmer gently for 40 minutes. The water should barely tremble — a rolling boil clouds the broth.
Ingredients: 700 g chicken thighs · 1 pcs onion · 3 pcs carrots · 3 pcs celery · 30 g butter · 3 cloves garlic · 2000 ml water · 2 pcs bay leaves · 1 tsp thyme · 2 tsp salt · 1 tsp peppercorns
TipThighs give more flavour and do not dry out like breast. The skin releases fat that carries aroma.
Shred the meat
Lift out the thighs, wait 5 minutes and remove the skin, pull the meat off the bones and shred it with two forks. Drop the bones back into the pot for 10 minutes, then fish them out.
Ingredients: 700 g chicken thighs · 1 pcs onion · 3 pcs carrots · 3 pcs celery · 30 g butter · 3 cloves garlic · 2000 ml water · 2 pcs bay leaves · 1 tsp thyme · 2 tsp salt · 1 tsp peppercorns
Shredded strands soak up broth better than cubes.Cook the noodles
Add the noodles to the simmering broth and cook a minute less than the packet says (usually about 8 minutes). They finish in the hot soup and will not go soft on the plate.
Ingredients: 200 g egg noodles · ½ bunch parsley · ½ pcs lemon
TipSoup for tomorrow? Cook the noodles separately and add them to the bowl. In the broth they swell and drink half the pot.
A minute less than the packet — the rest happens in the bowl.Combine and season
Return the meat, add the parsley and squeeze in lemon juice. Acid wakes the whole pot up — the difference between a good soup and a flat one. Season with salt and pepper.
Ingredients: 200 g egg noodles · ½ bunch parsley · ½ pcs lemon
Before you start
30-minute shortcut
Use ready stock and chicken breast simmered 15 minutes. The flavour is shallower but the soup is done in half an hour.
Freezing
Freeze the soup without noodles in portions. Add freshly cooked noodles when reheating — it comes back like new.
With dumplings
Swap the noodles for potato dumplings or drop noodles. Americans also make a version with thick dumplings spooned straight onto the soup (chicken and dumplings).
