Home-made Chicken Noodle Soup: The Chamelion

Hey all! So most if not all have had a taste of Chicken Noodle soup. For many its been a childhood favourite ever since our mums have made them for us when we're sick. So here's a simple but classic recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup!

You will need:

4 stalks cellery, chopped

2 cups mixed frozen veggies (cuts down on the cutting and these last longer ;D)

1-2 large onion, chopped

3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 chicken breast, chunked

2 can condensed chicken broth

4 cans water*

1-2 cups your choice of pasta

1. The flavour base: In the pot, on medium heat, saute garlic and onions with 1 to 2 tbsp oil (I prefer Olive oil myself) until the onion is translucent. Add other veggies and saute about 5 min.

2. The meat!: Add broth and water and chicken pieces ( I like to pouch the chicken so that it stays more tender). Bring to a boil (still on medium heat).

3. Spice rack: My second favourite part of the cooking experience! At this stage you want to start adding your herbs and seasonings. Some good suggestions would be parsley or coriander, bay leaves (if you like a bit of sweetness), some oregano, rosemary, and for those that like things spicy (like me), kick it up with some cayenne pepper, paprika or chili flakes!

I can't tell you how much I put in of these various wonderful herbs and spices but I can say that you should add these to your taste! One of my main cooking philosophies is this: cook to your taste! Make sure you like how it tastes! As for the spicier stuff, if you are trying out cooking spicy things, I would suggest you add a little at a time so that you can monitor the spice level!

Remember how I said that this is really a chamelion? Well here's why! This wonderful recipe can be modified for chicken stew to be served with bread, rice or even pasta (already THREE different dishes!) OR can be put between too flakey crusts for....Chicken Pot Pie!!! Here's how:

For Chicken stew, simply leave out the pasta. And instead of 4 cans of water*, add 3 cans of water. With the last can make it a 3 part milk and 1 part water mix and then add 3 tbsp flour or cornstarch. make sure the flour or cornstarch is well dissolved into the mix. Add this too the soup. It will give it a creamier texture and the flour or cornstarch will obviously thicken the soup. When its thickened to your liking serve with bread or pasta or rice!

TIP: Although many recipes tell you to add the flour or starch right into the dish you are cooking, I have found that this could create lumps. So if you know you will be adding starch or flour or any other thickening agent (TA) to your dish at some point I suggest taking out a bit of the liquid you are cooking while its relatively still cool so that you can add your TA into that and then pour it in to your liquid! It makes a lump-free and happy dish everytime!

For Chicken Pot Pie take the same mixture of Chicken stew and simply fill a pie crust with this mixture! Add the top pie crust and seal the pie. Remember to ventilate by cutting 2 or 3 slits into the top. Put this is a 300˚F oven and bake for 20 to 30 min or until the crust is a golden brown!

So have fun cooking your version of Home-made Chicken Noodle soup...or stew...or pot pie! Either way, have fun and enjoy!