The Ultimate Comfort Chicken Noodle Soup

Step 1

Peel the carrots and saving the peels in a large pot. Trim the ends and leafy tops off the celery and add those to the pot as well. Take the dark green parts off the leek, give them a good rinse, then chop into 2-inch pieces and toss them in with a bay leaf and some thyme sprigs. Smash and peel two garlic cloves and add those in too.

Step 2

Finely chop the light green and white parts of the leek and rinse them off. Place them in a medium bowl along with sliced carrots and celery cut on the bias. Mince the remaining garlic cloves and keep them separate for now.

Step 3

Remove the skin from the chicken breast and set it aside. Put the chicken in the pot with all the vegetable scraps, pour in enough broth to cover everything, and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and let it simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 4

Once done, take the chicken out and discard the skin. Wrap the chicken to keep it from drying out. Strain the broth, discarding the veggies and herbs.

Step 5

In a clean Dutch oven over medium heat, cook the reserved chicken skin until it’s crispy and the fat has rendered out—about 8 minutes. Remove the skin and crank the heat up to medium-high. Add the chopped veggies you set aside earlier and cook, stirring now and then, until they’re softened and just starting to brown, roughly 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and a little thyme; cook for about a minute until you can smell the aroma.

Step 6

Pour the strained broth back in and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and let it simmer uncovered until the vegetables are tender, around 10 minutes. While this is happening, boil a pot of salted water and cook the egg noodles until they’re just tender but still have a bit of bite, about 7 to 9 minutes. Drain the noodles well.

Step 7

Season the soup with salt, pepper, and a splash of lemon juice—taste and adjust as you like. Shred the chicken and stir it into the soup, warming it through for a couple of minutes. To serve, spoon some noodles into bowls and ladle the hot soup over them. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and enjoy!