Cheater Chicken Noodle Soup

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This is a cheater 30-minute recipe for chicken noodle soup, also known as a recuperation soup for those feeling under the weather. While the slow-cooker method is pampering, we may not be in the mood to spend too much time in the kitchen when someone is sick. This quick version also allows the cook to make chicken noodle soup quickly on the whim, great for weekday nights after work. The ‘cheats’ come in the form of using a whole rotisserie roast chicken from the supermarket deli, as well as using instant tetra-pak chicken broth as the soup base.

More time to spare? Try the slow-cooker version:

• Slow-cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe (above)

See Also:

• Chicken Soba Noodles Recipe
• Chicken Udon Noodle Soup Recipe
• Chicken in 40 Cloves Garlic & Shallots Recipe

This post shows chicken noodle soup made with spaghetti (topmost pic), macaroni (pictured above) and egg pasta (pictured below) as they were taken over a period of time. I have been making this dish many times but only just got round to posting this recipe now.

This is a bowl made with egg pasta (most traditional noodle for chicken noodle soup; can be purchased from Cold Storage in Singapore). I use regular pasta (spaghetti or macaroni) more often as they are more accessible and affordable over here.

Ingredients

1) A cup of aromatics – carrot, onion, celery, bay leaves, garlic and ginger. You can prepare them the night before and keep it in the fridge (covered) for the next day so that you save some time (great for weekday after-work cooking).

2) Deli Rotisserie Roast chicken

The ready-made roast chicken from the supermarket deli is really economical. During a sale at NTUC, I bought a bird for S$4.65 :O Use kitchen scissors to separate the thighs, wing and breast.

3) Instant chicken stock

If you want to cheat, you must not be found out :P To keep it real fake, I am using the one pictured above, which is MSG-free. Tetra-pak chicken stock will taste more ‘real’ than chicken boullion cube imho. You can also use this low-sodium chicken broth, but it’s a little expensive for me because NTUC only sells the canned version, and we’ll need 3 cans for this recipe.

4) Noodles

If using long pasta noodles, you can snap them by hand to shorter pieces before cooking (pictured above), so that they are easier to eat and more digestible.

Step-by-Step Pictures

Tear the chicken by hand (the bones are soft and breaks easily) to separate the bone carcass from the meat. Shred the chicken. I’m only using the breast for this dish, saving the two chicken thigh quarters for another soba dish. If you need more chicken, you can shred the chicken thigh as well. As an extra step, use the bones to simmer the chicken noodle soup broth to improve the taste of the soup.

If you choose to make use of the bones, you MUST add the bones, broken up by hand to smaller pieces, into soup stock pouches which can be purchased from Daiso. Without the soup pouch, there will be tiny bone bits which is difficult to filter with all the chopped vegetables. If you don’t have the soup pouch, skip this step of adding the bones.

In a soup pot, add aromatics together with chicken stock and dried herbs. Add the soup pouch of bones if using. Simmer for 15 minutes if adding the soup pouch, and 10 minutes if not adding the soup pouch.

In the meantime, shred the chicken breast …

… and cook your pasta of choice (pictured above is egg pasta) according to the desired firmness. Tip: Don’t cook al dente for a sick one as he/she probably needs to eat softer foods. Drain the pasta and set aside.

During the last 3 minutes of simmering the soup, add the shredded chicken. Then discard the soup pouches and stir in the cooked pasta. Add more chicken/water if required. Season to taste with salt.

Ladle to serving bowls and garnish with black pepper and dried parsley. Don’t tell your family how you made it and test them if they can tell ;) Enjoy!~