Why I Make This on Repeat

I make this when we need cheering up, or when there’s leftover rotisserie chicken staring me down in the fridge, or—real talk—when I just want something that doesn’t come out of a can. My family basically inhales this soup (sometimes I have to guard the pot). When my daughter had braces, this soup was her MVP; she could eat it without complaining, which was a minor miracle. Oh, and sometimes I forget the parsley; no one noticed. If you’re worried you’ll mess it up, please, I’ve forgotten a lot more and it’s always tasty in the end!

So, What Goes In? (And What Could)

2-3 chicken breasts (but thighs are juicier; sometimes I just shred up pre-cooked chicken if I’m in a rush)

a glug of olive oil (my grandmother swore by the cheap stuff and honestly, can’t taste the difference!)

3 carrots, sliced up thin or not, up to you

2-3 celery stalks, chopped (skip if you hate celery—my mate Dana does; it’s fine, I promise)

1 big onion, chopped, or those pre-chopped packets if you’re feeling lazy

3-4 garlic cloves, smashed (less if socialising, more if hiding from vampires)

about 8 cups chicken stock/broth (store-bought works; I tend to water it down)

2 bay leaves (if I can find them behind the spices, otherwise skip)

a small handful fresh parsley, chopped (or a tablespoon dried; not a dealbreaker if absent)

Salt and pepper, to taste (and a dash of paprika if you’re feeling feisty)

2 cups egg noodles (or any pasta; I once used fusilli, my daughter was appalled, but it tasted fine!)

Alright, So Here’s How I Do It

First off: Heat the olive oil in your big pot. Toss in the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook ‘em on medium heat for about 5-ish minutes till they start to soften. Actually, I usually add the garlic partway through—just don’t burn it; burnt garlic is a smell nobody wants filling the house.

Time for the chicken: If using raw chicken breasts/thighs, plop them in whole, then pour over the chicken stock. That’s your spa day for the chicken. If you use shredded pre-cooked chicken, just wait and add it later, otherwise you’ll get chalky bits.

Throw in bay leaves, a decent pinch of salt, and a crank of pepper. Bring it all to a nice simmer. (This is when I usually forget something, so double check your ingredients now!)

Simmer away for about 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and easy to shred. If you started with leftover cooked chicken, just simmer the veg and broth for about 10 mins and add the chicken near the end; it’ll heat up fast.

Fish out the chicken, let it cool slightly (burned my hands a few times, you’d think I’d learn), shred it with a couple forks, and toss it back in the pot.

Toss in the noodles—pro tip: don’t walk away here or they’ll turn to glue. Cook for maybe 7-8 minutes (or check the packet, but taste one a minute early; nobody likes soggy noodles unless it’s lunch at your nan’s and even she secretly hated them).

Stir in the parsley, adjust seasoning, and pull out those bay leaves (honestly, I’ve served soup with bay leaves in before, it’s not the end of the world!).

What I’ve Learned the Hard Way (Notes from My Kitchen Lab)

If you forget to sauté the veggies first, it’ll still taste fine, just a bit more homely and less ‘wow’.

You absolutely can use leftover roast chicken or even turkey, especially after holidays; just toss it in near the end.

I think it tastes better the next day, but only if the noodles stay firm—otherwise, you get chicken noodle porridge (still tasty, not pretty).

Tried-and-Not-So-True Variations

I once added a squeeze of lemon at the end (surprisingly fresh—kind of like Bon Appetit suggests) and now I sometimes do it when I’m feeling fancy.

Egg noodles are classic, but rice is great if you’re out of pasta. Alphabet pasta is fun, but they fall apart quick!

Coconut milk sounded like a good idea once. It…wasn’t. (Maybe it works for others, just not my cup of soup!)

Lessons Tried (Often the Hard Way)—My Pro Tips

I once tried rushing the veggie sauté and ended up with weirdly crunchy onions. Not recommended.

Bunging in all the noodles at once makes leftovers tricky; I now cook half in the soup and the rest separately if I think there’ll be any left (there rarely is!).

Don’t skip seasoning at the end—taste, then salt again if needed. Sometimes the broth is bland and needs a little TLC.

Got Questions? (Actual Real-Life Ones!)

Can I use store-bought rotisserie chicken? Absolutely. I do this probably half the time. Just add it at the end so it doesn’t get stringy.

How do I keep noodles from going mushy? Easiest: Cook them separate, add them to the bowl just before serving. Sometimes I forget, but it’s not the end of the world.

Can I make this vegetarian? Sure—use veg stock and swap chicken for extra beans or tofu. Never done tofu in this but someone online swears by it (see Cookie and Kate’s version for inspo).

Do you really need fresh parsley? Nah! Dried is fine, or skip it. Or use dill if you like that. To each their own, I say.

Is this freezer-friendly? It is, but only without the noodles. They get a bit…gluey. Add fresh ones when you reheat for best bowls.

Anyway, now I’m hungry. Sorry if any of this rambled—a bit of stream-of-consciousness is part of the magic. If you give it a go, let me know; you never know what tricks I’ll have picked up by next week!