Need Help with Chicken Noodle Soup! Please!

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bugaboo72

Assistant Cook
Joined
Oct 5, 2014
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2
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Denver
So I had a great chicken noodle soup recipe. I start with a whole chicken in a 12 qt. pot full of water, cook chicken, remove chicken, everything else goes back in the pot. When that's done, I strain and put chunky carrots, celery and onions in the pot with some stock and all the seasonings and cook. Which is where I need help, because without the recipe I can't remember the amounts. Oregano, basil, salt, tarragon, pepper. That's all I can remember. I'm super bummed because I love this chicken soup. So whoever can help me with amounts, that would be appreciated. I can guess but I'm scared to ruin the whole pot after all my hard work! After the veggies cook, I add the last of the stock, cut up chicken and then the noodles. Delish. So for the soup makers out there, any suggestions on the amounts of herbs, dried, not fresh?

Thanks!
 
Whatever you use just start with a teaspoon of each, let it simmer for a few minutes and then taste test it. You can gradually add more in small amounts and whatever you want until you get the taste you are looking for. This way, you won't kill it by over seasoning or salting....

I'd skim as much fat as you can too.....
 
If you were to use fresh herbs, chances are slim you would ruin it.
Salt is so important. Just taste as you go. Use some salt for your sautéed aromatics and more when you add your water. Then taste again before serving.
Salt is more important than the chicken.

Using a whole cooked rotisserie chicken is even better than a fresh raw one.
Flavorful in less time also.
Just remove the meat before adding the carcass and bones to the liquid. Then add the meat pieces at the end to heat through.
 
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I'd go with RockLobster's advice, except I'd go with 1/2 tsp. of tarragon, as it can quickly overpower the other flavors. I'd also add Thyme to the mix of herbs, again using 1/2 tsp. If you want to add a bit of Asian flavor, add 1/4 tsp. ground ginger. Don't forget to add fresh onion, to ballance the salt flavor with gentle sweetness that only fresh onion can provide.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
When starting the chicken, I use half canned chicken broth (I like Swanson's) and half water. It give the end product a huge flavor boost. :yum:Personally, I hate tarragon, but that's my problem not yours. ;)

The only way you can recapture the flavors you want is to follow the previous advice.
 
Thanks, everyone. Great advice about the rotisserie chicken. I'll try that next time! So I did start out with a teaspoon of each and 1/2 of tarragon because I remembered that I have used less tarragon before. I put 2 T of salt and, yes, fresh onion. I've been slowly adding more herbs. My memory is telling me I did at least a tablespoon of each, but I could be remembering wrong. I also did remember to put a bay leaf in. I think the tarragon is what makes me like this soup so much (that and the chunky veggies), although I agree that it can be too much. We shall see, almost one
 
oy vey, using a cooked chicken for jewish penicillin?

maybe for padech...

:cool:

whole, untrimmed chicken, whole carrots, whole celery stalks, whole unskinned onions, lots of salt, black pepper, lots of fresh garlic, and loads of fresh parsley. and cold, clean water.

that's all you need.

if you want to get fancy, swap some cilantro for the parsley.
 
When you finally get this soup to where it tastes like you want it to, make sure you write it down this time. This is how great recipes are made! And share it with us. Good luck. :angel:
 
BT, I agree with you about using the rotisserie chicken. When I make my chicken soup, I use whole, uncooked chicken. I remove the skin and fry it until crisp, and usually munch that with DW.:yum: I then remove the meat from the carcass, and fry the bones until lightly browned. I break the bones, add water, and sliced celery, and simmer it until I have a rich broth. I strain the broth, add the veggies and seasonings, and make the home-made noodle dough, and dice the meat. When the veggies are done, I add the noodles (or dumplings), and saute the cubed chicken until lightly browned, seasoned lightly with salt. The chicken is very tender and flavorful. I put the soup into bowls at the table, and add the distribute the chicken into the bowls. The soup is great, and the meat is great in the soup. This method also makes it so no one has to pick bones out of their teeth.:mrgreen:

Usually, I have a bag of extra chicken bones ready for when i make soup, as I freeze them whenever I make a boneless chicken dish. I also break the bones to release the collagen and marrow into the broth. It gives the broth body.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
 
I recall an ep of Americas test kitchen that used ground chicken to get better results. And I think I saw Martha Stewart having a show on that too.


Sent from my iPad using Discuss Cooking
 
When I make chicken soup I use stock made from my previous collection of bones.
Add veggies, herbs & spices I'm in the mood for and have on hand.
As stated earlier it's best to start small and add later. You can always put more in but it's hard to take it out. ;)
Simmer until the veggies are getting close to done tasting as it progresses and adjusting the seasoning.
Add the chicken. I usually use cubed thighs but whatever you have will work.
Keep cooking and adjusting until the veggies and chicken are done. :yum:

I see making stock/broth as a separate entity from making soup.
To make the stock/broth the ingredients are cooked to much to extract flavor to make them usable in the soup.
 
Thanks, everyone. Great advice about the rotisserie chicken. I'll try that next time! So I did start out with a teaspoon of each and 1/2 of tarragon because I remembered that I have used less tarragon before. I put 2 T of salt and, yes, fresh onion. I've been slowly adding more herbs. My memory is telling me I did at least a tablespoon of each, but I could be remembering wrong. I also did remember to put a bay leaf in. I think the tarragon is what makes me like this soup so much (that and the chunky veggies), although I agree that it can be too much. We shall see, almost one
If you like the tarragon, you might consider adding some fresh fennel bulb, chopped or grated. I add that to my turkey or chicken soup.
 
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