This Small Batch Chicken Noodle Soup recipe is perfect for two people.
Although it is easy to find several homemade soup recipes either in cookbooks or online, not many of them are designed to make two servings.
And in the middle of winter, or when you aren’t feeling well, there is nothing better than eating a warm bowl of soup.
Hearty vegetables that are sautéed until tender and then combined with chicken, chicken broth and noodles for the perfect comfort food meal.
Small Batch Chicken Noodle Soup
INGREDIENTS
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Onion Carrot Celery Skinless, boneless chicken breast Dried Italian seasoning Chicken broth Pasta, such as ditalini or fideo cut spaghetti Salt and pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
The first step in making this small batch chicken noodle soup is to prepare the vegetables. Start by dicing a small onion.
You can use white, yellow or a sweet onion for this recipe. If you only have a medium or large onion, use only half of the onion.
Next, cut a medium size carrot into small, bite size pieces. If you only have baby carrots, use 6-7 carrots instead.
Once you have your onions and carrots prepared, dice a rib of celery into small, bite size pieces.
Next, in a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat. One the oil is hot add the onion, carrot, and celery.
Continue to cook until the vegetables are softened. This typically takes approximately 5 minutes.
Prepare the Chicken
While the vegetables are sautéing, prepare the chicken breast by cutting it into small, 1/2 inch cubes. You want the chicken pieces to be small enough that it goes well with the size of the other ingredients.
When the vegetables are tender and the chicken is diced, add it to the stockpot. Then stir in the dried Italian seasoning. Stir again and continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through.
Then stir in the chicken stock. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Once the pot is at a rapid boil stir in the pasta.
Cook uncovered over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes or until pasta is al dente. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
The pasta will continue to soften as it sits in the hot liquid. Serve this small batch chicken noodle soup immediately, with a piece of homemade Artisan bread.
Although I prefer traditional chicken noodle soup, there are some other ingredients that you can add or substitute in as well.
Add 1/8 teaspoon of sage to the pot as it is boiling. The sage will give your small batch chicken noodle soup an earthy flavor that you might enjoy.
Peel and dice a Yukon gold potato and add it with the chicken stock. Let the pot boil for 5 minutes before adding the noodles.
To add a little natural sweetness to this recipe, add 1/2 cup frozen sweet corn or peas.
Gluten-free option – use a gluten-free noodle option. I have used both Chickpea pasta and Rice pasta in this recipe and they both have turned out delicious. You may just need to adjust the cook time based on the pasta cooking instructions on the side of the package.
Switch up the type of noodles that you prefer. A common substitution is wide-egg noodles. Although, the egg noodles absorb more liquid than the smaller pasta so be prepared to add a little extra broth or water if needed.
For other easy, recipes for two, search the Recipe Index Page.
Enjoy!Mary
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Chicken Soup
Yield: 2
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
1/8 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 container chicken broth (30 ozs)
1/2 cup pasta, such as ditalini or fideo cut spaghetti
salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a large saucepan heat oil over medium heat and add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
Add the diced chicken and Italian seasoning to the pot, stir and saute until cooked through.
Stir in the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and stir in pasta. Cook uncovered over medium - high heat stirring occasionally for 6 minutes or until pasta is al dente.
Use fresh vegetables, high-quality meats or broth, and fresh herbs to add depth of flavor. Add acidity: A squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a dash of vinegar, or a splash of wine can brighten the flavors of a soup and make it taste more complex.
Fresh Herbs:Add fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or cilantro just before serving for a burst of fresh flavor. Citrus Zest:Grate the zest of a lemon or lime into the soup just before serving to add brightness. Ginger and Turmeric:Add grated ginger and a touch of ground turmeric for warmth and depth of flavor.
Herbs and spices add aroma, flavor, and intensity to soup broth. "Use fresh or dried basil in tomato-based recipes or fresh parsley to add freshness to clear broth soups," says Sofia Norton, RD. You can also go with more heat and spices.
Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.
For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.
You can extract a clean, strong broth from a combination of water and several pantry ingredients. It's all about layering powerful flavor-enhancers that you probably already have on hand—bacon, tomato paste, herbs, peppercorns, a Parmesan rind, and, of course, kosher salt.
Vinegar, much like salt, is a flavor enhancer — it not only imparts its own taste and acidity to a soup, but in small quantities, it helps to bring out the brightness of other ingredients as well.
When you start with Chicken Noodle Soup as your base, you have the recipe for dinnertime success. Try adding fresh herbs, chopped kale, white beans or croutons.
To make a good soup, you have to build flavours as you go. Vegetables like onion, garlic, celery and carrots — referred to as "aromatics" — are part of most soup recipes for this very reason, sautéed in oil or butter as a first step of flavour-making.
Herbs and Spices:Fresh or dried herbs such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, and dill can add depth to the flavor. Bay leaves are commonly used in chicken soup for a subtle earthy taste. Ground black pepper or a pinch of red pepper flakes can add a hint of heat.
How to make chicken noodle soup without the noodles getting soggy? Cook Noodles Separately: Instead of cooking the noodles directly in the broth, boil them in a separate pot of water according to the package instructions. This ensures that the starch from the noodles doesn't thicken your soup and make it cloudy.
Another hack for canned chicken noodle soup includes building a foundation of flavor with a mirepoix, a standard of classic French cooking employing two parts onions, one part celery, and one part carrots. Dice the vegetables and sauté them in a pot with olive oil before pouring your chicken noodle soup in.
Add a splash of vinegar (any kind!), or a squeeze of citrus. Chances are, you could use a little more salt. Go ahead—it's ok. Salt perks up flat flavors and helps balance out bitter-tasting ingredients.
If a soup is tasting bland in the bowl, consider adding acid rather than salt. A squeeze of lemon or lime, or a dash of yogurt or sour cream can add brightness to the bowl. Our Lemony Chicken Soup will make your mouth water.
The key here is using the right herbs. Choose tender, leafy herbs for topping soup, like parsley (flat leaf or curly), cilantro, chives, or even mint. Skip the woody herbs, like rosemary and thyme — or add them in the beginning of the cooking process — otherwise they will dull, rather than brighten, the flavor.
A squeeze of citrus, a dollop of yogurt or a drizzle of cream, a dusting of cheese or a good chile powder, a sprinkling of some herbs or croutons — all can take a perfectly fine soup into the realm of the delectable. Even a spiral of good olive oil to finish and some coarse sea salt can do wonders.
Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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