Chicken Noodle Soup

Method

1. 1

   Soften the vegetables

   Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent; stir in the garlic for the final minute.

2. 2

   Poach the chicken

   Add the stock, thyme, bay leaf and chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the thickest part of each thigh reaches 74°C (165°F).

3. 3

   Shred the chicken

   Lift the chicken onto a board and shred it into bite-sized pieces with two forks while warm, about 5 minutes; check it is tender and discard the bay leaf from the pan.

4. 4

   Cook the noodles

   Bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat, add the noodles and cook for the packet time, usually about 4 minutes, until just tender; follow the packet if its timing differs.

5. 5

   Finish the soup

   Return the chicken to the pan over low heat and stir in the lemon juice, parsley, pepper and salt to taste for 1 minute, until the chicken is hot and the broth tastes balanced.

6. 6

   Serve

   Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve straight away while piping hot.

Tips

• Keep the broth at a gentle simmer while the chicken cooks, and check the temperature in the thickest part of each thigh.
• Taste the broth before adding salt, as stock can already be well seasoned.
• For making ahead, cook and store the noodles separately so they do not soak up the broth.

Swaps

• Use 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves instead of dried thyme.
• Swap the flat-leaf parsley for chopped dill.
• Use another small pasta shape instead of egg noodles, following its packet cooking time.

Storing

Refrigerate the soup for up to 3 days, keeping the noodles separate. Reheat the soup until piping hot and cook or reheat the noodles separately.