Cheater Chicken Noodle Soup
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:
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!~
Cheater Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
This is a cheater and fast method of using a whole roasted rotisserie chicken from the deli at the supermarket to make chicken noodle soup. This recipe uses the deli chicken’s bones (skip this if you’re busy) and chicken breast for shredded chicken. The thigh can used to serve with another (such as salad or soba).
Check out the step-by-step photos and tips on the previous page.
Ingredients:
- 1 rotisserie whole roast chicken
- 100 grams pasta (egg pasta, macaroni or spaghetti)
- dried parsley and cracked black pepper to garnish
(A) Chicken Soup
- 800 ml MSG-free tetra-pak chicken stock with more to top up if needed
- 40 grams chopped celery
- 50 grams chopped yellow onion
- 50 grams cut carrot
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 3 whole old garlic cloves
- 3 slices ginger
You also need:
Directions:
- Prep chicken. Using kitchen scissors, cut chicken to thighs, wings and breast. Separate chicken meat from the bone. Remove chicken skin from the chicken breast and shred the meat. Save the chicken thigh for another meal. Optional: Break up the carcass/bones to smaller chunks and put the bones in soup stock pouches.
- Simmer the chicken soup. In a large soup pot, add chicken bones soup pouches (if using) and (A). Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes (without soup pouch) or 15 minutes (with soup pouch). Add shredded chicken to the main pot of chicken soup in the last 3 minutes of cooking. Discard soup pouches. If you need more soup, top up with more chicken stock and/or water accordingly. Season to taste with salt if needed.
- Cook pasta and serve. Meanwhile, cook pasta separately in a pot of boiling water with 1 tsp salt. Drain and add the pasta to the chicken soup pot. Ladle to serving bowls and garnish with parsley and black pepper.