I don’t know what the weather is like where you’re at, but here in the good old UT, we’ve had everything from feet of snow and single digits to tantalizingly warm and rainy days. When the weather decides to be a little indecisive, I find there is no better way to lift my spirits than to make a steaming pot of my grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup. There is just something that is so heart warming, filling, and spirit lifting about a nice cup of scratch-made Chicken Noodle Soup. So here I am to save the day! I’ve got a recipe for your that is as good as any your Grandma made and is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
First off, it’s important to note that there are different ways to make your soup. You can make it in a huge stock pot like this on your stove, or you can go the easy route and use your slow cooker. There is something therapeutic about cooking on the stove, so that’s the recipe I’m giving you. 
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 lbs. bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 1/4 tsp. pepper, divided
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 10 c. chicken broth
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 10 c. chicken broth
- 4 celery ribs, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp. minced fresh thyme
- 3 c. uncooked kluski or egg noodles
- 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Process:
Let’s start with the chicken. Step One, pat the chicken dry with paper towels before tossing with 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and salt. Next, heat up your oil in your stock pot over medium-high heat. Once it’s nice and toasty, you’re going to add your chicken with with skin side down. Cook your chicken until it’s golden brown which should take about 3-4 minutes. Last, remove the chicken and de-skin it. Make sure to save 2 Tbsp. of the drippings and get rid of the rest.
Second, you’re going to start your veggies by adding the onion to the droppings and cooking until they are tender. This should take about 4 minutes or so. Next, add in your garlic and stir for about a minute. You want the garlic fragrant but not burnt. After adding the garlic, add in the broth and make sure that stir up those golden brown bits off the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil before adding the chicken, celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Last, you’re going to reduce the heat and simmer that lovely pot until your chicken is nice and tender. This should take about 25-30 minutes.
Third, you’ve got to add in the noodles. Because what’s chicken noodle soup without them? Chicken soup. Ha ha. When the chicken is tender, pull it out of the soup and transfer it to a plate. You’re going to be taking the meat off the bones in a second. Before doing that, you’re also going to remove the soup from it’s toasty space on the stove and add in the noodles. Let the noodles absorb all the yummy goodness for about 20 minutes. They will get nice and tender.
Last, you’re going to shred that chicken. It needs to be cool enough you can touch it. Remove the bones and shred the meat into bite size pieces before adding it back into the stock pot. Next, you’re going to stir in the parsley and lemon juice while removing the bay leaves. To end, season with salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!
And there you have it. This soup is best enjoyed with a hot loaf of french bread, a handful of saltine crackers, some warm and fuzzy socks, and a good movie. Hopefully it can help lift your spirits too.
Happy Cooking!
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