Functions of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
By sholland10
Nothing like a wonderful pot of homemade chicken noodle soup on the stove on a cold winter’s day. My mother made the best. She was a farm wife with a big family. She not only boiled the chicken, she actually went out wrung its neck, plucked its feathers and innards, cut it up, and boiled it.
By the time I came along, the family moved to town, so I do not possess the same skills my mother had for preparing a chicken. I do have the knowledge of her chicken noodle soup though.
Starting Your Chicken Noodle Soup
In order to know the functions of homemade chicken noodle soup, first you have to get started. Now, if you have chickens, you could do what my farm wife mother did. Personally, this town girl goes to the freezer, pulls out the already cut chicken breast, fills a pan with hot water, puts it on the stove, and brings it to a boil.
One secret my mother taught me was to boil the chicken first then turn it down to a simmer. If you want your chicken to be so tender that it falls apart, simmer it for at least an hour with no seasonings, including salt. The seasonings seem to make the chicken less tender and harder to work with when you want to slice it or tear it into pieces for your soup. Keep in mind that your tender chicken is going to continue to “fall apart” each time you stir the soup, so there is not much effort in cutting it up. Don't worry if you have big chunks at this stage.
Function #1
Boiling your chicken and then simply simmering your soup, adds humidity to your house. In the winter our furnace dries the house and our skin and bodies out. What a great way to add humidity while the aroma of your chicken noodle soup can be appreciated throughout the house.
Adding Ingredients for Your Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
After using my paring knife (my cutlery of choice when cooking) to literally slice and tear the tender chicken into pieces while it is still in the pot, I add salt, garlic, and garlic salt. I cheat a little, too, for the sake of flavor and add a little chicken broth. Be careful of the steam if you choose to leave the chicken in the pot because it will burn you.
I am not much of one to use exact measurements in my recipes; that is a trait I did get from my farm wife mother. I will give you an easy to follow recipe, though. For now, I am just going to describe my steps.
I begin cutting up my vegetables. Vegetables are personal preference, but I think there are three that you must have for a tasty, homemade chicken noodle soup: one whole onion, three stalks of celery, and green pepper. I chop my onion and celery up. If you have a fresh green pepper, cut it up in bite size squares. Another trait I inherited from my mother is money saving flash freezing, so I use my garden green peppers and my sweet banana peppers that I flash froze. I also like to add a potato.
Okay, something my farm wife mother would not have used are frozen vegetables from the store. Well, I do use a bit of frozen mixed vegetable that I bought in the store. I know she would forgive me.
Function #2 – Hydrate Your Skin
As mentioned before, the furnace tends to dry out our skin. Constantly thinking of ways to fight aging and dry skin, I want my hydrated skin. If you want a lovely, homemade steam facial, stick your head over the pot. It feels and smells wonderful while hydrating skin on your face and neck. No joke. Might as well take advantage of it while it is there.
Now to Simmer
While the chicken and vegetables are blending flavors in the pot, you will want to turn your stove on low and cover it. Let it simmer on low so that you do not lose flavor or liquid. Occasionally stir.
Adding the Noodles
I like egg noodles for homemade chicken noodle soup but when you forget to check before starting to cook, whatever noodles you have in the cupboard will be fine. In my pictured chicken noodle soup, I used thin spaghetti. Not as pretty, but it taste just as good. Put the noodles in about a half hour before you want to eat. Make sure you have plenty of broth. You may need to add more hot water or chicken broth if it has simmered down. Stir the noodle in, make sure your burner is on the lowest setting, or you can turn it off the soup has been simmering most of the day. Voila, you are ready to serve your homemade chicken noodle soup.
Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Raw chicken, preferably boneless
1 whole chopped onion (I prefer sweet)
1 whole chopped green pepper
3 chopped celery stalks
1 potato (I prefer skin on)
1 cup chicken broth or one cube
of chicken bouillon
Season to taste with salt, garlic powder,
and garlic salt
1 pkg noodles (your choice)
Optional ingredients:
2 sliced carrots
1- 2 cans of mushrooms
Mixed frozen vegetables
(Step-by-step directions in the hub)
Function #3 – Curing the Common Cold
Now granted, every time we fix chicken noodle soup does not mean we have a cold. Some days are just soup days in the winter. There is a long held belief that chicken noodle soup helps cure the common cold. I tend to believe it is true because during cold and flu season my pharmacist gives away a can of chicken noodle soup to anyone who comes in for common cold medicines.
So there you have it. You not only have a lovely meal, but you also are humidifying your house, giving yourself the most wonderful steam facial to hydrate skin on your face and neck, and possibly curing the common cold. I would say that homemade chicken noodle soup is amazing.
© sholland10 2012. All rights reserved.
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Comments
Definitely a salve for what ails you. Thanks for including a recipe as well. Voting this Up and Interesting.
Deborah, I feel honored for the bookmark! Enjoy!!
Thanks for dropping by!!
Alocsin, it really is a salve. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Thanks for dropping by and voting! :-)
You have won my heart with your chicken soup hub. I agree with your pharmacist, chicken soup will cure just about any cold or virus. I have to try to cook my next soup without salt (I'll take your word for it that it will make it tender without its addition). Also, never would have thought to add banana peppers but I'm game since I love their spicy flavor. Great hub!
Thanks Teach! I boil and simmer my chicken for about an hour (enough time for it to be cooked through) then I "chop" it up. After that, I add seasonings like salt and garlic. I grow the banana peppers each summer and flash freeze them. They add subtle flavor. :-)
Thanks for dropping by! :-)
Hey Sholland, that is definitely an interesting, but useful hub, if I ever saw one and trust me, I've read my share of hubs. LOL! I'm not one for using exact measurements in anything I cook, unless it calls for it already, due to the fact that it's not my recipe. LOL! I'm pretty positive I will not even attempt to cook your homemade chicken noodle soup because I wouldn't throw half of what you throw into yours, in mine. But, that's okay...your hub was fun to read regardless. :) Voted up, funny, awesome and interesting. :)
Thanks, Ray! Most of my cooking is with optional ingredients. :-) Add or delete what you like. That is the fun of it. You might try the steam facial. LOL
Thanks for dropping by and voting!
I love this dish, but I cook with little variation. Thanks for sharing
Hey sholland, are you trying to hint something to me? LOL! (j/k) And, yeah I do add or delete things from recipes I do try that are out of my norm. I think everyone does that and I'll agree it is fun. I enjoy cooking a great deal. :) You're welcome also. :)
Sounds so good! And it's raining today - it would be the perfect comfort food! I never measue either unless I'm baking - don't know why I bother then either since it never works out:) lol
Voted up and delicious!
Ah..,.there is nothing better to eat in the world.
Vinaya, isn't it fun to add our own touches? :-)
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
No, Ray! LOL We are all so unique. :-)
RH, it is great on a rainy day (rainy and cold here, too). Adding our own ingredients make it our own. :-) I just always hope the lids are on tight before I start "sprinkling" in the seasoning. LOL
Thanks for dropping by and voting!! :-)
Breakfastpop, I agree!! :-)
Thanks for dropping by!
Great hub, nothing like chicken soup to help a cold on its way.
Thank you for sharing
Thank you, Rosemay!! Thanks for sharing!! :-)
My mouht is watering........tis the season for SOUP.
I have it bookmarked and Thanks
Chris
Thanks, Chris! I am honored that you bookmarked it. It really is the season for soup!!
Thanks for dropping by!! :)
I love to make homemade chicken noodle soup. I grew up making the noodles like my grandmother did...big and fat. Sometimes they looked like small dumplings. (I don't' like mine too big though.) I am a big fan of carrots, celery, and onions in mine. Then I would serve it to the family with a side of mashed potatoes. Yum...I am getting hungry just think about your hub and making soup. I don't think anything could beat homemade soup on a cold day. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will have to try it!
Tip, my mother used to make homemade noodles, but I never have. She also taught me how to make chicken and dumplings. Another favorite at my house. I'm getting hungry, too.
Thanks for dropping by and Thanks for SHARING! :-)
I have the same tablecloth!! My hubby makes the best chicken soup from scratch. He adds his special ingredient...Love:) He never added the potato, I'll mention it to him. Fab hub!
Well, imagine that!! Great minds think alike. ;-) I add the potato because it will soak up the extra salt or seasoning if I get carried away... Plus, I love the potato with the peeling left on in my soup. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
Good idea!! A potato it shall be!! Now I need chicken soup. Thanks for the hub:)
Wonderful Hub. I have been sick the past few weeks and this chicken soup recipe sounds define. I especially liked the story about your farm wife mom. My grandmother was a farm wife and killed her chickens as well. It brought back some wonderful childhood memories. Thanks for the tip about the spices, I never knew that. :~)
Well, Linda, get your hubby to get up and get some soup simmering. LOL If it only worked that way...
Sheila, I hope you are feeling better soon. I have those farm memories, too. Of course, when the chicken kept running around with its head cut of, my brother took great joy in "egging" that on. LOL Take care of yourself.
Thanks for dropping by!
Your pictures are making me hungry! I was never much of a soup person until I met my wife. She makes a lot of different soups and she makes them often. Chicken Noodle soup is definitely one of my favorites and you have listed some of the many benefits for this comfort and soul food. Great Hub! Voted up and SHARING!
JSMatthew~
Your homemade chicken noodle soup, looks like a good hearty nutritional meal. V.U.
Thanks, JS! Now, go get a bowl of soup. :-)
Thanks for dropping by, voting, and sharing.
V.U., it is very hearty and nutritional. Nothing like homemade!! :-)
Thanks for dropping by! :-)
Nicely written hub. I love chicken noodle soup, infact I think it is my favorite. There is alot of ingredients in yours some of which might get left out if I ever get round to making yours. I tend to go by instinct on what I add which might explain your lond list. Good photo's, voted up :)
I like, but I have a question first. What is flash freeze? And, is the biscuit recipe coming soon? Funny, I was gon'na have soup before work, but I think I would be disappointed now - smile! Gon'na send to some FB friends, many of whom are in the pac norwest. Thank you for the 'home' cooked meal. (and to help out get a water feature for your living / get-to-gether room - nice quiet fountain for the air) Thanks again and have a fun Sunday night!
Thanks, Brian! The wonderful thing about soup is that we can make it to our taste. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!
Tsmog, flash freezing is when you slice your fresh vegetables up, place them on a cookie sheet with wax paper, spread them out as much as possible, then stick them in the freezer for a couple of hours. When you take them out, put the in a zip lock freezer bag and put them back in the freezer. You can use them through most of the winter. I love planting all types of peppers and squash and flash freezing them in the summer. You can grow them or buy them. It is just nice to have them, plus, they are already cut up when you want to use them. :-) You have a great evening, too!
Thanks for dropping by! :-)
Forgot to mention it in my reply but my wife reminded me, try adding one small chilli finely chopped up to the soup. This gives it a little "kick" very nice on a winter's day.
Brian, I love chopped chilli. Tell your wife thanks!! :-)
this looks delicious. I think I'll make a pot of this for me, and a nice veggie soup for my wife :-)
I love veggie soup too!! Just nothing like soup on a cold day!! I hope you enjoy the recipe.
Thanks for dropping by! :-)
no problem. I added rice, a little ham for a richer stock, soy milk and rice. tasty
Oh yum, PDX! I am all about the "options." Sounds like a tastey soup. Thanks for SHARING and dropping by! :-)
Chicken noodle soup is always good on a cold day or when I am not feeling well. it is my soup of choice when I don't feel well. And yours looks so yummy. SHARING SOCIALLY!
Thanks,HSB!! Share away!! :-)
susan... i love soup... especially this time of year
This looks so delicious. I need to make this soup! I always use the stuff out of the can, which is honestly not so great. Great hub and voted up!
Your homemade chicken noodle soup looks delicious!!!!!!! Where is my bowl and the saltine crackers? This is a surefire way of getting rid of a nasty cold. Great hub!!!!!
PDX, OH ME TOO!! Soup is the best! I have been waiting for a cold, damp day to make my next one and post it. Stay tuned. :-)
Thanks for dropping by! You're a peach! ;-)
Jeannie, it really is an easy soup to make. The hardest part is smelling it while it simmers most of the day! :-)
Thanks for dropping by! :-)
Nina, come on over and I'll have a pot ready for us!! :-)
Thanks for dropping by!
I loved it!! so nice.......... voted up and shared!!!!
Thanks, Winbo! I appreciate you dropping by and the votes and shares. :-)
Just had a cold last week and of course turned to chicken noodle soup to combat it! Good ideas for additives to soup that I hadn't thought of - looks delicious. Banana peppers are an interesting addition. Voted up, useful, and SHARING.
Onthegrind, I hope you are feeling better. I do like the banana peppers. This year I planted the sweet ones, but I like the spicy ones too. Take care of yourself!
Thanks for dropping by, voting, and sharing! :-)
There's nothing better when your feeling down than having chicken noodle soup- yummy.
Yes, Brian, it is a "pick-me-up" meal! Thanks for dropping by! :-)
I love chicken noodle soup! Your's looks really good and I will try your recipe this week.
I have that table cloth too :)
Up Useful and Pinning.
I hope you enjoy it, Susan. :-) Thanks for the votes and pinning. :-)
Susan, This recipe looks fabulous! I like how you incorporated alternative medicine in as well!
My Mom makes great soup too! However, I do not think she, nor I would go out to the lengths your Mom did to make this...lol!
Great hub!!!
Thanks, Audra! I do love homemade chicken soup. It cures many an ailment. :-) It really is easy. The hardest part is waiting for it to simmer all day.
Thanks for reading!! :-)
I'm making this soup right now :) Would you believe out of all the information on the internet, your recipe is the easiest one for homemade chicken noodle soup! Very simple and delicious. I've added included many of the vegetables you suggest, and loads of garlic for its taste and healing properties. Thanks!
I loved this hub, not only the recipe, but the references to your mom. Wonderful! My mom got her chicken the same way, by the way!
Oh EmyBee, I hope you are not sick! If you are, though, the chicken soup with lots of garlic should help. Enjoy and get better soon! :-)
Of course she did, Victoria, because we have the BEST moms! We share so much in common! :-)
.Yummy Hub! actually i want to say the recipe of chicken noodle soup is really good and its quite delicious dish. :)
Thanks Harrissaeed! :-) I appreciate you dropping by!
Deborah Brooks 4 months ago
I am book marking...thanks for sharing..there is nothing better than chicken soup..voted up..debbie