Whether you want something warm to fill your belly with on a chilly night or need something to cure a cold, there’s nothing like a good bowl chicken noodle soup. This is the perfect recipe to enjoy for any occasion. It’s quick and easy to make and packed with nutrients.

“As home remedies go, you could do worse than a bowl of homemade chicken soup. This soothing comfort food may actually offer some mild benefits when you’re sick with a cold.

Research suggests that any warm liquid can help to clear nasal congestion and thin mucus for a more productive cough. But chicken soup, in particular, does a better job than other warm liquids because it improves the function of cilia, microscopic hair-like structures in the nose that help prevent contagions from entering the body.

And, in a study conducted in 2000 by Dr. Stephen Rennard of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, blood samples from volunteers showed that chicken soup inhibited the movement of neutrophils, the most common type of infection-fighting white blood cell. By working to limit the migration of the neutrophils, Rennard hypothesized that chicken soup aided in the reduction upper respiratory cold symptoms.”

—excerpted from The Big Book of Infectious Disease Trivia

Makes: 10 (1 1/2 cup) servings | Prep time: 15 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes

• 3 tablespoons of vegetable or canola oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup celery (including leafy tops), sliced thin
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thin
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 10-12 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken, roughly chopped
• 12 ounces egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion, celery, and carrots, sautéing and stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent and celery and carrots begin to soften.

3. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.

4. Add 8 cups of chicken broth, rosemary, thyme, and pepper and bring to a boil.

5. Add cooked chicken and egg noodles. Let soup gently boil for 8-10 minutes, or until noodles are tender.

6. Add 2 to 4 additional cups of chicken broth (or water) to compensate for liquid absorbed by the noodles. Reduce temperature to low, cover and simmer soup until warmed through.

7. Salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with fresh rosemary.

Notes

• This is a very flexible soup! Use more or less of the vegetables, chicken, and noodles, depending on your preference and what you have on hand.
• You can substitute cooked turkey for chicken.
• I keep frozen leftover chicken on hand (measured out into 1 cup portions), but you can also bake 1 or 2 chicken breasts for 20 minutes in a 400ºF oven while you’re chopping and sautéing the vegetables. Then carefully chop up the cooked chicken and add it to your soup. (Add the chicken pan drippings, too!)
• You can substitute chicken or turkey stock or chicken bouillon for packaged chicken broth. Follow the directions to make 10-12 cups of broth.
• Soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.

–Kristina Wright, author of The Big Book of Infectious Disease Trivia