Colder weather means more time indoors. More time indoors for me can only mean ONE thing: Cooking. And lots of it! The last few weeks saw me hover from one ethnic market to another lugging back bagfuls of spices, sauces, condiments and flavourings, amidst baskets of colourful fresh produce. Yes, you could definitely say that the Holidays bring about the creative cook in me. I find myself waking up with my head full of ideas and flavour pairings. Then, a few minutes later, I’m dressed in my warmest layers running off to the store to pick up the items needed for my experiment of Chicken Noodle Soup.
This, of course, has got Hubby Dear beaming with pleasure. Our dinners for the past few days have included the exotic flavours of various cuisines, fused together in a style that I deem myself an expert of. Warm velvety curries with hints of hot, sour, salty and sweet tones tease our palate. Vegetables have found new tasty ways to welcome themselves on our table. And soups, oh what can I say about the soups, like this Chicken Noodle Soup!
As I kid, I always connected soups to the kind of food one has when you’re sick in bed with a pounding headache and a runny nose. Our winter meals, although consisting of richly warm comfort food, somehow failed to include this food group altogether. As a busy working student stuck in the cold Canadian winter devoid of a mother’s culinary touch, I found throwing in a can of beans with some veggies and spices in a pot full of bubbling chicken stock made for a fairly quick, nutritious and decent enough meal. Over the years, my soup repertoire has grown immensely from the sorry state it once was, and now I can’t imagine going a week in the cold months without a bowl or two of soup to comfort me.
This Chicken Noodle Soup is as simple as it can get. And yet, has the ability to carry flavours as complex as you wish it to. My favourite way to serve this dish is to lay out all the ingredients in individual bowls to enable each of your guests to design their own meal. Add in what you like, as much as you like; and no matter how you do it, there’s no wrong way to enjoy it.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 cups boiled rice vermicelli noodles
- salt & pepper to taste
For the Soup
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 1 inch stub of fresh ginger
- 3 large garlic cloves slit halfway through the middle
- 1 stalk lemongrass cut into 2-inch pieces and pounded lightly to release oils
- 3-4 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 large fresh red chillies slit halfway through the middle
For the Chicken
- 2 boneless chicken breasts sliced thinly into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pure sesame oil
For Garnishing
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup diced extra-firm tofu lightly sauteed in a bit of oil
- 1 cup snow peas sliced at an angle
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup fresh mint roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup scallions finely chopped
- 1-2 large red chillies finely chopped
- a couple of wedges of fresh lime
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients for the soup into a large pot and let it simmer on medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.
- Marinate the chicken with soy sauce, white pepper, garlic powder and sesame oil, and saute in a non-stick pan till done.
- To serve, divide boiled vermicelli noodles into large bowls, ladle with warm soup, and top with chicken and your choice of garnishes.
Tried this recipe? Leave a Comment and let me know, also Rate it by clicking the number of stars on the recipe card. Want to share your version with me? Tag me on Instagram @hookedonheat
46 Comments
Catherine
August 28, 2010 at 2:52 AMThank you for sharing with us your soup recipe. Perfect for rainy days.
Jessica
June 16, 2010 at 11:53 AMI really love to cook especially chicken noodle soup, I want to try this one at home too.
Jaime
May 28, 2010 at 1:27 AMKamran at sophisticatedgourmet.com and I were just tweeting about how I hadn’t ever seen any good Indian Food blogs, and now, here you are! I am so happy!
shubha
February 19, 2010 at 11:59 AMHello
why have you stopped blogging? we miss you and your recipes. please come back
sheba
December 13, 2009 at 12:04 PMoooohhh..this looks too tempting
Dara @ MyVeryFirstKitchen
November 18, 2009 at 2:32 PMCan I just tell you I am SO ecstatic that i found your blog!! I have recently been eating TONS of Indian food! I am looking forward to trying some of your delish recipes:)
Thanks for sharing such wonderful dishes!
Myf
November 8, 2009 at 9:09 AMthis is purely comfort food especially when it rains here at my place. lovely picture!
Chris De La Rosa
November 7, 2009 at 12:54 PMThough I make an excellent Chicken Noodle soup, I’ve never tried adding the lemon grass and ginger. Those are 2 things I really enjoy, just never had the idea of adding them to the broth.
Thanks for sharing
happy cooking
chris
peanutts
October 20, 2009 at 10:45 PMHi,I am new. Your chicken soup looks gorgeous!!!, Its a great remedy for flu too.
Jennifer
October 9, 2009 at 10:48 PMMmmmmm! Just made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious! I left out the chilies and gave hubby a bottle of hot sauce instead. 🙂 So light and flavorful! My husband and both of my little girls (5 and 7) raved about how yummy it was!
Murtuza Charania
October 7, 2009 at 1:19 AMHey great recepies and amazing photographs…
batul
October 1, 2009 at 12:10 AMHi Meena
I am a frequent visitor to your site. You haven’t posted any new recipes since quite some time…
I have tried few recipes of yours and they have turned out fantabulous…. You make cooking seem so easy…
Please continue writing your recipes…
Regards
Batul
Hooked on Meena
September 28, 2009 at 8:35 PMI’m hoping you start blogging again, or give us an update! Food is an intimate affair and your recipes have instilled in me enough compassion for you to worry. I hope all is well.
Mythreyi
September 13, 2009 at 11:49 PMLovely soup Meena, makes me drool!
Vijitha Shyam
August 26, 2009 at 5:46 PMYummy noodles! awesome pics meena!
First time here. U have a loely space. I am sure that I will pop in often 🙂
rashmi
July 29, 2009 at 2:06 AMhey meena..was inquisitive,why u havent been blogging in 2009?
rashmi
July 2, 2009 at 12:16 AMim flat out impressed with ur blog, the presentation..ican go on!!
really impressive..will b following ur recipes!from now on.
Vanessa
June 29, 2009 at 3:56 PMI, too, miss your posts and keep checking back regularly. Please share more of your beautiful photos and amazing recipes!
Andrew
June 25, 2009 at 5:17 PMHi there,
It’s the first time I’ve ever visited your blog and it’s excellent. This soup is perfect for the leftover stock I have from the Sunday roast I had on Sunday, and healthy enough for my ‘wedding’ diet.
Great site,
Andrew
shama
June 22, 2009 at 5:07 AMReally a delicious soup…….nice collection of yummy recipes
Michael Cuetec
June 17, 2009 at 1:14 PMThe soup is amazing, I just stumbled on the blog and am now subscribed!! keep it up, great post, family LOVED it!
zara
May 14, 2009 at 12:50 PMis it possible to replace the kaffir limes with something else? i suspect it will be almost impossible to find in europe where i live. thanks! looking forward to cooking the soup 😉
Scott at Realepicurean
May 2, 2009 at 8:27 AMBeautiful, BEAUTIFUL fresh looking soup!
IBH
April 21, 2009 at 12:50 AMyours is a lovely blog! please do update it more often than this 🙂
absly drool worthy photos and recipes!missing the posts…
srivani
March 3, 2009 at 7:27 AMwow, that looks great.
Chris Mower
March 1, 2009 at 9:51 PMI recently became interesting in Indian cooking when I began working with an Indian co-worker who brought us in some of her curry chicken. It was delicious. I’ve only done some Indian cooking, but this chicken soup looks fantastic! I’m going to give it a try and see how it goes. Thank you for the excellent post.
Michelle
February 3, 2009 at 1:21 PMI recently found this blog and what a gem it is. I’m anxiously awaiting new posts!
Ronita
January 27, 2009 at 2:28 AMWow, this soup looks great. I make a similar one but with a little variations. I love noodle soups. I will try your version.
Muneeba
January 19, 2009 at 8:02 PMGosh, I think I can smell that soup! Look at all the ingredients swimming around in there … they look happy to be there 🙂 By the way, I’m passing on a small award to you. It’s the “Proximity” award. You can check it out on my blog, in today’s post, where I’ve mentioned you.
Holly
January 16, 2009 at 3:47 PMI make soup like this a lot, it is great because everyone in the family can make it to there own style. I like it spicy but the kids don’t so it works out great and is so tasty.
nithya at hungrydesi
January 5, 2009 at 12:49 PMthis looks delicious and really comforting…I think I’m going to try it with Veat (fake chicken) and vegetable broth to try for a vegetarian version of it…yum. Thanks!
MODman
January 4, 2009 at 2:00 PMMeena…
I just wanted to drop a quick comment of gratitude for your help with Menu for Hope. It was an amazing success. Your hard work and willingness to participate is cherished.
I have posted to my blog for my minions (I think I am up to 10!) of readers to leave a comment of thanks on your blog. You need to hear that you are appreciated.
Thank you for your heart…
Dallas
myf
December 25, 2008 at 8:03 AMperfect for those cold days 🙂 i like chicken noodle soup very mmuch!
Kevin
December 20, 2008 at 2:47 PMNice looking soup!
Hélène
December 20, 2008 at 1:58 PMThis soup looks so good, pay attention because soon you’ll have all the neighbors knocking on your door.
Merry XMas!
Geri
December 20, 2008 at 2:49 AMI love soup, and chicken soup is great when you’re sick. It sounds like a great recipe.
Foodista
December 13, 2008 at 6:57 AMHello Meena, I love your site, this Chicken Soup is perfect to drive away this nasty cold 🙂 Cheers!
Priya
December 12, 2008 at 7:50 PMHi Meena,
Chanced upon your blog today. Its just great!!! Will try some of your vegetarian recipes and give you updates. Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
Priya
Cynthia
December 12, 2008 at 7:32 PMI like that you saute the chicken then add it to the soup.
Homecooked
December 12, 2008 at 5:09 AMThis looks so yummy! A huge bowl of comfort 🙂
Sudeshna
December 10, 2008 at 1:32 PMHi,
Its great to see some updates on your blog, I keep on visiting your blog, but get disheartened. But this time its great to see two posts at a time.
Chicken soups are almost a regular preparation for dinner, but never tried out with noodles. you gave the courage to go forward.
sunita
December 10, 2008 at 8:40 AMWhat a warm, hearty soup…that would have anyone beaming with pleasure 🙂
Dave Morris
December 10, 2008 at 8:26 AMOoooh, looks lovely.
Whenever I’ve made a soup like this before I’ve followed a recipe which uses galangal, but I see you have ginger here instead. I always wondered if it might work – think I’ll have to give it a try!
Happy Cook
December 10, 2008 at 5:58 AMWow super delicious looking soup. If you serve me this, itoo would be beeaming with pure pleasurer like you hubby.
deepu
December 10, 2008 at 12:33 AMNice hot soup! i liked the idea of sauteing the chicken versus the normal cooked shredded kind. By the way I being a big fan of pure white dinnerware and serveware … admire your collection. any tips on stores which i might have missed out ?
Lovely pics.
Sweety
December 9, 2008 at 10:50 PMHi!
Thank you so much for this wonderful recipe of chicken soup. Just today I was thinking of making a soup that will warm not only my but my soul too and lo and behold I found your recipe.
I really like your suggestion of having the ingridients in individual bowls. It is extremely creative and will keep my family entertained. Thank you again so much.
Kindest regards,
Sweety