Chicken Noodle Soup

Winter is by far my least favorite season of the year. Driving is more difficult, there are so many more things to bundle up in before leaving the house and don't forget there are far more runny noses and coughs for everyone. 

This week on Gingerlocks' Kitchen we will be focusing on winter wellness. I am working in part with Aloha.com to help everyone to enjoy the season in the best health possible. They have all kinds of great products to help you live your best life.

 As a person who is around young kids everyday, sickness is an inevitable part of winter. Today's post we will look at a great remedy to get you feeling better faster than you can build a snowman. It doesn't happen often, but when I feel a sniffle or two coming along I am sure to make this soup.

Is there anything more comforting that a bowl of chicken soup? I remember the classic chicken noodle soup commercial where a little boy comes in from the cold as a snowman and thaws while he eats up his golden broth and noodles. Not only do I remember thinking that little boy would probably get yelled at for melting all over the house, but I very much understood how he felt as his smile returned with each bite of soup.

This is a terribly easy recipe for you to make any time. The veggies add nice texture and the low sodium chicken broth makes this much better for you than any old canned soup.

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large chicken breast

3 stalks of celery, chopped

3 medium carrots, chopped

1/4 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

8 cups low sodium chicken broth

2/3 package ramen noodles

First, heat the oil in a large saucepan. Then, season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Then brown each side over medium heat in the vegetable oil.  

Once the chicken has been browned on both sides, take it out of the pot and let it rest a few minutes. The chicken will not be done, but it will finish cooking in a few minutes.

Add the celery, carrots, onion and garlic to the pot. Stir this a few minutes and season with some salt and pepper. 

Add the chicken broth to the pot and turn the heat down to medium low. Place the chicken breast carefully on top and cover the pot with a lid. 

The noodles I like best a very thin and they cook in just  few minutes. 

Once the chicken is done in the center, take it out of the pot. Add the noodles to the soup.

While the noodles cook, cut the chicken into very small bite sized pieces. I prefer to do this rather than cut the chicken before it cooks because I think it stays more juicy and tender this way. 

Once your noodles are tender, your soup is ready to for melting a snowman or two. 

Check back on Thursday for a fiesta chicken soup and some winter wellness tips!