Oh my. Chicken noodle soup is genuinely one of the best things ever. It’s what people crave when they’re under the weather, and I can see why, but I say don’t wait until then. Make it as often as you can.
The key to this recipe is a good-quality chicken stock, ideally made from Swaledale’s chicken carcasses. I’ve gone with a fairly simple version here, which suited my mood at the time of writing, and if you follow it closely, you should end up with spoon after spoon of silky, umami-rich goodness. As mentioned, success depends almost entirely on the quality of your stock.
Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Ingredients
Broth
To Finish the Broth
Method
- Season the chicken wings and legs with salt and leave to one side for 2 hours.
- Find a nice large pot. Place it over a high heat and add ½ a tablespoon of olive oil. Begin to brown off the chicken wings and legs in batches. Reduce the heat at any point if it seems too fierce.
- Once all the chicken is browned, add the stock, celery, shallots, carrot, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, fennel seeds, and wine. Over a medium heat, bring it all to a simmer and allow it to bubble for 2 or 3 minutes before removing it from the heat and allowing it to sit for a further hour.
- Pass the broth through a sieve and discard the vegetables, herbs, and spices. With the chicken, you need to pick all the meat from the bones. Try to keep it in bigger pieces rather than shredding the meat. Discard the skin.
- Return the empty pan to the heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and then the garlic, the bay leaf, and a pinch of salt. Allow the garlic to fry in the oil for just a moment being careful not to let it colour at all. Then add the broth and the carrots and bring to the boil.
- Turn down to a gentle simmer and add the macaroni, followed 3 minutes later by the broccoli. Lastly, just before serving, reintroduce the picked chicken.
- All this simmering can lead to the broth reducing too much, it shouldn’t be thick. If it needs a little diluting, then do so with more stock or a splash of water.
- Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. A little vinegar may be required for balance. Serve immediately.












