A little less than a week ago we decided to take an election escape getaway to avoid all of the angst and negativity associated with the election. After we cast our votes on Tuesday morning we drove to Starved Rock State Park, a destination a little more than ninety minutes from our home. In the middle of farm country is a historical, archaeological, geological, and recreational jewel. Bordering the Illinois River, the woodlands, bluffs, canyons, and forests in Starved Rock feel other worldly. It certainly doesn't feel as if you are in central Illinois. Our home away from home for three days was a tiny cabin (Postcard Cabins) contained within a large wooded area. It could not have been a more peaceful, private, and gorgeous place for our retreat. We woke up each morning to a spectacular view of an autumnal landscape, hiked during the day, and sat by a roaring outdoor fire at night. Toasting marshmallows, making s'mores, and drinking hot chocolate spiked with Bailey's Irish Cream in the woods could not have been a more perfect, more relaxing way to end the day. We brought food for breakfast and dinner each night, our Keurig, books, games, and a hairdryer. But in retrospect, there are two things I wished I would have brought: a flashlight and containers of this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. Especially this soup.
There is a reason some call chicken soup food for one's soul. Because whether you are feeling under the weather or need a boost to your mood, a bowl of thick, hearty chicken soup is both a magic elixir and panacea. Savoring just one bowl of this soul satisfying, deeply flavorful homemade Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup suddenly makes you feels as if all is right in the world.
Many have a favorite chicken soup recipe, one passed down through generations, discovered long ago, or self created. So I understand it may be hard for some of you to abandon your go-to recipe. However, I am going to go out on a relatively short limb and say this might unquestionably be one of the BEST creamy chicken noodle soups I have ever made. It might even be one of the BEST ever creamy chicken noodle soups. Colossal pieces of poached chicken, an abundance of sautéed vegetables, and overloaded with noodles, this soup is downright the epitome of what a great chicken soup should be.
So what makes this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup so spectacularly delicious? Or worthy of a best rating? Boneless, skinless chicken thighs poached separately and added to the soup, freshly chopped herbs, a diced russet potato, and a mixture of heavy cream and milk. All of theses ingredients together add even more layers of flavor and texture to this crave worthy, savory soup.
Minced garlic, diced onions, sliced carrots, and diagonal slices of celery not only bring flavor and texture to the soup, they bring visual interest. Slicing rather than dicing the carrots is one of those good to great techniques in the making of a great chicken soup. As the diced potato cooks down, it adds yet another layer of creaminess and heartiness to the soup. Think of the diced potato as a 'secret' ingredient.
While some chicken soup recipes call for using pre-cooked, leftover, or rotisserie chicken, I highly recommend poaching skinless, boneless chicken thighs for the soup. Not only are thighs more tender, flavorful, and juicier than chicken breasts, they add richness to the soup. Which means for a chicken soup with the best flavor, it should be made with chicken thighs. Some chicken soup recipes call for poaching the chicken in the chicken broth along with the sautéed vegetables, but I would advise against it (unless you like removing the scum it creates in your soup). Poaching the thighs separately is easy and game-changing.
Egg noodles are traditionally used in classic chicken soup recipes. These thick, hearty ribbons soak up the chicken broth's flavor while adding a rich egg note. Which makes for the most blissful soup. For those reasons, I highly recommend using wide egg noodles.
In addition to the cooked russet potato, heavy cream and milk are also responsible for creating a luscious, hearty, creamy chicken noodle soup. I used a combination of cream and milk, however, you could use either one. Or use more of one than the other. I tend to lean more heavily on a higher cream to milk ratio.
There is something highly therapeutic about making a homemade chicken soup. Especially on a gray sky, chilly day. All of the slicing, dicing, simmering, and stirring give way to a sense of feeling calm. Maybe it's because we have long associated chicken soup with being a healing, comfort food. Other than chocolate chip cookies, there may be no other food on the planet that brings as much joy in the making as in the eating.
Another one of the benefits of making a large batch of soup is that it can be frozen (for up to three months) and enjoyed later. Especially for a day when you can't shake a chill, are feeling under the weather, or are just too tired to 'cook' dinner. It also makes the perfect gift to give to a friend in need of a boost!
From start to finish it takes a little more than an hour to make this Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup. You can make it early in the day and reheat it for lunch or dinner. Or you can make it the night before. If made ahead, you will more than likely need to add more chicken broth (and/or cream/milk) to the mixture as the egg noodles and potatoes will soak up some of the broth.
Paired with some crusty bread and maybe a salad, this chunky, flavorful Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup is all you need to have the most satisfying meal. With soup season well underway and staying around until mid-spring, I hope you are inspired to make a batch of this soul satisfying soup very soon. But if you need just one more reason to make this soup, remember that eating a bowl of hot soup on a chilly day is like getting a hug you didn't know you needed. And wouldn't we all love to feel the euphoria of receiving an unexpected hug?
Recipe
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
Poached Chicken
3-4 cups of cold water
1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds of whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 teaspoons of peppercorns
3 to 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon of chicken bouillon (optional but good, see notes)
Soup
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup (100g) chopped yellow onion (about half of a large yellow onion)
1 cup (120g) diagonally sliced celery (about 1/4" thickness) - 3-4 medium sized stalks of celery will yield one cup
1 cup (120g) sliced carrots (about 1/8" thickness) - one large carrot will yield a cup
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
8 cups of chicken broth, plus more for when reheating (see notes)
1 medium-large sized (280g) russet potato, peeled and cut into a 1/4" dice
1 cup of heavy cream or whole milk (or 1/2 cup each, or 3/4 cup cream and 1/4 cup milk)
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups (150g - 210g) egg noodles (see notes)
Fresh parsley, for garnish, optional
Fresh bread for serving
Directions
Poached Chicken
1. In a saucepan (with a lid), add chicken, salt, peppercorns and thyme to the water. Bring to a boil.
2. Flip chicken, place the lid on the pan, and remove pan from the heat. Let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Remove cooked chicken from liquid and let cool 5 to 10 minutes before shredding or cutting into pieces (do not dice!).
Soup
1. In a large cast iron dutch oven, melt the butter.
2. Add in the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
3. Over low-medium heat, stir in the flour, Kosher salt, pepper, thyme and oregano. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly. Note: If all of the butter has been absorbed by the vegetables, add an additional tablespoon when adding the flour.
4. Slowly add in the chicken broth (the mixture will initially seize but do not worry). Then add in the diced potato. Bring the mixture to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover the pot, and allow the mixture to simmer for 25 minutes or until the potatoes have softened.
5. Add in the shredded poached chicken, egg noodles and cream/milk. Cook for approximately 10 minutes or until the noodles are tender and the soup has slightly thickened. Taste for seasoning. Add additional salt and/or pepper as needed.
6. Serve immediately with some crusty bread.
7. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 6-7 days or frozen for up to 3 months (soup must come to room temperature before freezing).
8. When reheating the soup, pour into a pot and cook over medium heat. Add additional chicken broth and additional cream/milk to desired consistency.
Notes:(1) Use a high quality chicken. I used Miller Chicken (available in the midwest). I used 1 1/4 pounds of chicken thighs. For an even meatier soup use up to 1 1/2 cups.(2) I used a 3 1/2 cups of the egg noodles and the soup was very noodle-y. Recommend using 3 cups. But if you like it very noodle-y, use 3 1/2 cups. (3) I used the Better Than Bouillon (Roasted Chicken Flavor) when poaching the chicken thighs. You can find it the soup section of most grocery stores. (4) I found it easier to weigh the cut vegetables than measuring them in a cup. The amounts recommended are minimum amounts. Feel free to increase the amount of vegetables slightly. (5) Buy more chicken stock than you need. You will need it when reheating the soup. I used the brand Kettle and Fire.
Starved Rock State Park, Utica, Illinois (November 2024)
