Classic American Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 60 mins | Servings: 8 (with lots of left overs)

PERFECT FOR: When Life Gives You Lemons.

I don’t know anyone who grew up in America that doesn’t relate to transformative power of a simple Chicken Noodle Soup. It is the go-to cure for so many human ailments...from the common cold to the even more common heartbreak. This week I found that I needed a cure for my heart in a bad way. I needed a soup that would ground me and there is nothing better than an authentic dose of nostalgia. In the words of Baz Lurhmann, "nostalgia is a way of wishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it is worth.” Nostalgia or not, the Chicken Soup has staying power.

JFK might be a little like recycled nostalgia for me. Even though I was born in the early 70’s my first Presidential memories begin with John F. Kennedy. The Kennedy legacy defined the Boston Irish cultural landscape and therefore in many ways its spirit defined the Quinn landscape. And then history marched on. Kennedy. Johnson. Nixon. Ford. Carter. Reagan. Bush. Clinton. Bush. Obama.... Whatever you think of each of these Presidents, there is something grounding in the realization that a single President will never define our country’s legacy. Perhaps America’s Soul needed a check-up and this is the moment we are all called to look inward to our own house of (floundering) cards. You may or may not find the answers as you stir the pot, but taking the time to contemplate what is truly meaningful to us will always do us good. So enjoy this classic soup. In sickness and in health, from sea to shining sea.

INGREDIENTS FOR STOCK

• 2 5 lb Organic Chickens, cut into parts
• 5 quarts of water
• 1 Spanish onion, sliced
• 1 large turnip, large dice
• 3 large carrots, large dice
• 3 large celery stocks, large dice
• ½ bunch dill
• ½ bunch of thyme
• ½ bunch of parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves of garlic, whole

DIRECTIONS FOR STOCK

• Combine all vegetables and sweat with olive oil and salt, 10 mins
• Add chicken parts and saute, 10 mins
• Add water and herbs and simmer for 2 hours minimum
• Alternatively-you can roast chickens, remove the meat and set aside for soup and make a stock from the bones. If you do not do this you must be diligent about checking for bones.
• Flavor with salt and pepper to taste and then strain and separate the meat, ensuring to check for bones as you shred the chicken with a fork.

INGREDIENTS FOR SOUP

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 Spanish onion
• 1 large bunch of carrots, large dice  
• 1 large bunch of celery, large dice
• 4 ears of corn, shucked (peas are also good!)
• 3 cups of thin Egg Noodles (like the kind you remember from Lipton Cup of Soup)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 bunch of parsley-1/2 bunch chopped
• Stock from above recipe, plus added stock if needed

DIRECTIONS FOR SOUP

• Make the stock per above directions
• Add chopped onion and garlic to the pot with a drizzle of olive oil and sauté for 2-3 minutes
• Add chopped celery, carrots and corn and continue to sauté until aromatics begin to blend, but vegetables maintain crispiness, 2-3 minutes
• Add shredded chicken and continue to sauté, 5-10 minutes to combine flavors
• Add 5 quarts of chicken broth and bring soup to a simmer
• Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, 15 minutes, but keep the vegetables crisp
• Add 3 cups of egg noodles, simmer for 3-4 minutes
• Check the seasonings. Add salt, pepper and chopped fresh herbs to taste
• Allow the soup to sit, stove off for about an hour for flavors to blend without the vegetables losing their crunch
• Bring soup to a simmer and serve by itself. Plain and Simple Chicken Noodle Soup.