Chicken Noodle Soup

I figured that my first Opa! Sopa! recipe should be the quintessential comfort soup, chicken noodle. My first experience with this (and likely yours, too) was with the Campbell's Soup version.  That version is the stuff that snow days and sick days are made of.  This version is from the Barefoot Contessa and is super easy and has a minimal number of ingredients, most of which you may already have in your pantry.  The key twist to this is the roasted chicken breast, as opposed to a poached version.  Roasting the chicken with the olive oil, salt and pepper is so simple but imparts so much flavor.

 

Chicken Noodle Soup

1 whole (2 split) chicken breast, bone in, skin on
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 quarts homemade Chicken Stock
1 cup medium-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup medium-diced carrots (3 carrots)
2 cups egg noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breast on a sheet pan and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and shred or dice the chicken meat. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot. My short cut was that I used Swanson's broth.  Hey, it's good enough for Top Chef, it's good enough for me.

Add the celery, carrots, and noodles.

(Note the Girl Scout cookies in the background. Thin Mints = my nemesis.)

Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, until the noodles are cooked.  Add the cooked chicken meat and parsley and heat through. Season to taste (mine needed a little sea salt) and serve.