Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ever wonder why for centuries chicken noodle soup has been hailed as the soup of choice when you are sick? Because when it’s made from real chicken stock it has amazing healing properties. In the cookbook Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, she shares this quote, “Why is chicken soup superior to all things we have, even more relaxing than ‘Tylenol?’ It is because chicken soup has a natural ingredient which feeds, repairs, and calms the mucus lining in the small intestine.

This inner lining is the beginning or ending of the nervous system. It is easily pulled away from the intestine through too many laxatives, too many food additives…and parasites. Chicken soup…heals the nerves, improves digestion, reduces allergies, relaxes and gives strength” Hanna Kroeger, Ageless Remedies from Mother’s Kitchen.

One of the things that I love about this soup is how simple it is to make. I almost always have the ingredients on hand, and it takes just a few minutes to throw it all together. Especially if you keep shredded chicken on hand like we do. We also love this soup with our homemade Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

If you are really short on time and don’t have any chicken stock prepared you can also make this using chicken broth or just water and then adding bullion to enrich the flavor. If I’m in a bind (meaning, I don’t have any chicken stock prepared), I like using Better than Bullion instead of regular bullion cubes since it doesn’t contain any MSG. I also use these egg noodles when I don’t have time to make them from scratch. Enjoy, and Happy Healing!

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 8 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups egg noodles

Instructions:

1. Add butter, onions, and garlic to a large soup pot and saute over medium heat. (If using raw chicken, saute in a separate sauce pan, then transfer to the larger pot when completely cooked).
2. Add the carrots and celery and cook until slightly tender, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock, shredded chicken (or cubed chicken if you just made it in the sauce pan), and seasonings. Heat to a slow boil.
4. Add egg noodles and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
5. Serve immediately.