Description
This easy chicken noodle soup recipe uses store-bought rotisserie chicken for a quick fix that doesn’t sacrifice flavor or quality, featuring a unique creamy roasted garlic and lemon swirl to elevate the classic comfort food.
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3.5 lb) rotisserie chicken, shredded and skin discarded
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (for soup base)
- 2.5 L (10 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 250 g (8 oz) wide egg noodles
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled (for roasting)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for roasting garlic)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) heavy cream
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Roast Garlic: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Slice off the top of the garlic head, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast for 30-40 minutes until soft. Squeeze out pulp and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced carrots, celery, and onion; sauté for 8-10 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Combine Ingredients: Add minced garlic to the pot and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the shredded chicken, chicken broth, bay leaves, and dried thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer.
- Simmer Soup: Cover the pot and allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes to meld the flavors. Uncover and add wide egg noodles, cooking for 7-10 minutes or until al dente.
- Prepare Swirl: While noodles cook, combine the roasted garlic pulp, heavy cream, lemon juice, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt/pepper in a small blender. Blend until smooth.
- Finish and Serve: Remove bay leaves from the soup. Stir in parsley and season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into bowls, drizzle with the creamy garlic swirl, and garnish with fresh chives and extra parsley.
Notes
To avoid mushy noodles, do not add them until the last 7-10 minutes of simmering, and store leftover soup base separately from noodles for meal prep. Adjust the soup consistency by adding more broth or water if it becomes too thick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 cups
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg