Veggie Noodle Soup

I came home from work one day, intent on making some type of chicken soup, but not really sure what. Too lazy to actually get a recipe off the computer, I began just rooting through the fridge, tossing this and that into the pot; tasting, seasoning, simmering, and voila!

The finished dish was a soup chock full of veggies and bits of tender chicken, with a bit of lemon juice for zing and fresh thyme from the herb garden. It was so delicious that Jake and I literally sat silent at the table, slurping down every last drop in our bowls and dunking in hot, buttery, toasted English muffins.

Please forgive my wishy wash-ness (is that a word?) on the actual how to of the recipe, for I just threw the entire thing together and wasn't paying much attention to things like measurements or cooking times. Soup is an easy animal though, so don't worry.

This recipe was created by ©Karen Humphrey 2009

3 ribs of celery, diced
3 carrots, peeled and cut to bite sized
1 onion, chopped
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
4 medium sized mushrooms, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 1/2 tetra packs of chicken broth (about ? cups)
5 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1/2 (trim off excess fat)
1 cup fine egg noodles
1 lemon (zested, and juice from 1/2)
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped

Saute onions, carrots, mushrooms, and celery over medium heat until the onions have softened and become translucent. Stir in dried thyme, salt, and pepper and continue to saute for about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, stirring up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, then add the chicken thighs.

Bring the soup to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium low and allow the thighs to cook through (about 15 minutes or so). Check occasionally. When they are cooked through and the juices are clear when cut, remove the chicken from the pot and set on a plate. Shred into bite sized pieces. Add back to the pot with the tomatoes and continue to simmer until the veggies are just tender and tomatoes have broken down.

Stir in the noodles and allow to cook, simmering gently, until el dente. They won't take long because they are small. Finish off the soup by stirring in the fresh thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Taste and correct salt and pepper, adding more if you wish.

Makes about 6 servings