Classic Chicken Noodle Soup with Vegetables & Fresh Herbs

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil

  extra-virgin or regular

• 1 medium yellow onion

  finely diced

• 3 medium carrots

  peeled and sliced into 0.25-inch rounds

• 3 stalks celery stalks

  thinly sliced

• 3 cloves garlic

  finely chopped

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme

  tied together with kitchen twine if desired

• 1 leaf bay leaf
• 1.25 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  about 1.25 lb total

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt

  plus more only if needed at the end

• 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 5 oz wide egg noodles
• 0.5 cup fresh parsley

  leaves finely chopped

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

  freshly squeezed

Instructions

1. Warm the olive oil in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, 0.5 tsp of the salt, and the pepper; cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the thyme, bay leaf, chicken breasts, remaining 1 tsp salt, and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
3. Raise the heat to bring the broth just to a simmer, then reduce to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the chicken once, until the thickest part reaches 165°F and the meat is firm.
4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the thyme stems and bay leaf. Bring the broth back to a steady simmer, add the egg noodles, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender but still pleasantly firm.
5. While the noodles cook, shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding any tough connective tissue. Return the chicken to the pot once the noodles are nearly tender.
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. Taste the broth and add a small pinch of salt only if needed; let the soup stand for 2 minutes so the noodles finish absorbing the broth.
7. Ladle the soup into four bowls and serve hot, distributing the chicken, noodles, and vegetables evenly.

Make it part of your week.