Scratch Chicken Soup

My son Luke at 7 PM Saturday night: Mom, do we have chicken noodle soup?
Me: No, but I'll make some!
Twenty minutes later: This dreamy soup of golden caramelized chicken, herbal broth, tender noodles, and perfectly poppy peas and corn. I had no clue raiding my pantry would yield such an incredible result.


And then the scramble began. I checked the freezer and found one frozen chicken breast. Good start. After a quick defrost in the micro, I sauteed the diced chicken in olive oil until it was perfectly golden brown and caramelized (plus, it left tasty bits clinging to the bottom of the pan; bits that would soon be incorporated into the broth). While the chicken cooked, I hit the spice rack. I grabbed dried oregano, basil, minced garlic, and minced onion (the onion and garlic saved me from having to chop fresh). Then, I headed over to the pantry for "noodles". I found 1/4 of a box of angel hair pasta and thought, BINGO! I broke the pasta into little pieces and set it aside. In the fridge, I scored an almost-full container of chicken broth and one last squeeze from a tube of tomato paste. Back to the freezer... I found a handful each of corn and peas and... Scratch chicken noodle soup was born!

Best. Soup. Ever. This soup is, quite possibly, the best chicken noodle soup I've ever made. Not 100% sure why. Maybe it was the deglazing of those chicken bits into the herbal broth. Maybe it was the hint of tomato - just enough to add sweetness and tang, without turning it into a tomato soup. Truth is, I had a chunk of parmesan cheese ready on the side - so I could grate fresh cheese over the bowl before serving. Turns out, I didn't need it. The soup was perfect without it.

About the brothiness: In my house, we like our soups fairly thick; not too brothy. If you want a thinner soup, add more broth. If you run out of broth, just add water.

About the vegetables: I had corn and peas in the freezer, but lots of other vegetables work. You can add frozen mixed vegetables, bell peppers, and lima beans. Of course, fresh veggies work too, and carrots and zucchini would be fabulous additions to this soup.

Scratch Chicken Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon minced dried onion or onion powder
1/2 teaspoon minced dried garlic or garlic powder
6-8 cups chicken broth, depending on how "brothy" you like your soup
1 tablespoon tomato paste
8 ounces angel hair pasta, broken into 2-inch pieces
1/2 cup frozen peas, keep frozen until ready to use
1/2 cup frozen corn, keep frozen until ready to use
Salt and ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a stock pot or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Add the oregano, basil, onion, and garlic and stir to coat. Add 6 cups of the broth and the tomato paste and bring to a low boil. Add the pasta and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Add the peas and corn and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4