Chicken (Noodle) Soup

It's officially cold in Chicago. November has arrived, the time change is around the corner and I can feel winter coming. Nothing satisfies me more on a cold "fall-but-feels-like-winter" day than a bowl of warm, hearty soup. This one is a classic and so easy to make. In fact, I've had it twice just this week.

Ingredients
1 white onion
4 large carrots
4 stalks celery
1 small bag frozen peas
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 whole rotisserie chicken (or two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
10-12 cups chicken broth
Seasonings (oregano, parsley, thyme, garlic and onion powder)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
4 oz pasta noodles (optional)


1. Chop the onion and mince the garlic cloves.
2. In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat a couple tbsp. olive oil. Once heated, saute the onion and garlic for 5 minutes. While it softens, peel the carrots and dice both the carrots and celery into small-medium pieces. 
3. Add the carrots and celery, cover, and saute for another 10 minutes (take the cover off and stir every few minutes).
4. While the vegetables are softening, prepare the chicken:


If you are using a rotisserie chicken:
5. Pull apart the rotisserie chicken. Place the dark and light meat in medium bowl and discard the bones and skin. (The rotisserie chicken is a great option if you are able to buy the chicken the day of because it is already seasoned. If the chicken is warm, it is easy to pull apart.)


If you are using chicken breasts:
6. Cut the chicken breasts into cubes. Heat a couple tbsp. of olive oil in a medium skillet; once heated, add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper, as well as a little garlic and onion powder, for flavor.
(If you are grocery shopping days before you make the soup, I suggest using chicken breasts, as the rotisserie chicken is hard to separate after it has been refrigerated. If you keep chicken breasts in the freezer, be sure to thaw beforehand.)


7. Add 10-12 cups of chicken broth to the pot and stir the vegetables, making sure to scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pan (there is a lot of flavor there!). Bring the broth to a boil.
8. When the broth reaches a rolling boil, add the chicken and an entire bag of peas. Reduce heat to simmer.
9. Add a a tbsp. each of dried thyme, parsley and oregano. (I also add a few sprinkles of garlic and onion powder to the broth, especially if I am using the rotisserie chicken and have not already added it to the chicken as I would if using chicken breasts).
10. Let the soup simmer, covered, for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
11. If you want to add noodles, add 4 oz. of uncooked pasta when there is about 15 minutes left in your simmer time. 
12. Ladle into bowls and serve. If you don't add noodles to the soup (and I rarely do, because it's hearty enough with all the chicken and vegetables), serve with a fresh slice of toasted, buttered bread.


Note: this soup can be modified in many ways. You can add leeks, corn, parsnips...the possibilities are pretty endless. Just add any onion-like vegetables (such as leeks) in with the onion and garlic at the beginning; add hard vegetables (such as parsnips) when you add the carrots and celery; and add any soft vegetables (such as corn) when you add the peas.