CHICKEN NOODLE VEGETABLE SOUP

(from The Daniel Plan Cookbook – Healthy Cooking for Life)

Classic and comforting, nothing is better than homemade chicken soup. It can be made in about an hour, even less if you use leftover roasted shredded chicken and precooked pasta. To make this gluten-free, use brown rice pasta.

Serves 4−6

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 3 ribs celery, finely chopped
    2−3 carrots, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced (or 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher or sea salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 quarts (64 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large bone-in chicken breast (or shredded cooked chicken)
  • 1 cup whole wheat or brown rice elbow pasta
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

 

Preparation:

Add oil to a large pot over medium heat. Turn the heat down to medium low and add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until the vegetables are soft and translucent, 12−15 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and cook another 30−60 seconds. Add thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.

Remove skin and fat from chicken breast. Cut chicken breast crosswise through the bone into two pieces. Add the broth and the chicken breast to the pot. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 18 minutes.

Remove chicken from the pot. Add the pasta and simmer until pasta is tender. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat, and add back to the pot to warm.

Remove the bay leaf. Add parsley. Ladle into warm bowls to serve.

The Daniel Plan Cookbook includes more than 100 delicious, healthy recipes from breakfast to dessert.  Go to www.danielplan.com to order.

X