RECIPE: Chicken Noodle Soup

Without good broth and lots of salt, it tastes a lot like…water.

Picking the first Enlightened Omnivore recipe was easy. My kids knew before I did. It all had to start with my Chicken Noodle Soup. It didn’t hurt that we had just had it for our traditional Christmas Eve dinner.

I’ve made this soup dozens of times with countless variations. Yes, this recipe does include meat. May I remind you that I am a butcher and an omnivore. We talked about this. But the nice thing about it is that vegetarians can make a similar dish with veggie stock and tofu or mushrooms or anything else that has some non-chicken flavor. Just remember to change the name before you serve it.

I also think this recipe is pretty easy. I do use the work “deglaze” a few times. This just means pouring liquid into a hot pan, and scraping up all the tasty brown bits until the pan is clean. Then add that fantastic jus to your soup. But other than that, technique is pretty instinctual. There are really only two ways things can go wrong with this recipe. They’re pretty simple—but essential.

Salt and Broth.

Remember, soup is mostly liquid. Without good broth and lots of salt, it tastes a lot like…water. Pretty straight forward.

“The cure for anything is salt: sweat, tears or the sea.” Karen Blixen

Let’s start with the salt. You’re going to need a lot. A shocking amount for those of you who don’t cook regularly. Just embrace the fact that salt is an essential element our bodies need to function. A healthy human has about three quarters of a pound of salt in their body at any one time. A few tablespoons in this soup, ain’t gonna kill you. Salt is also a flavor enhancer, which means in addition to making things taste salty, it also makes carrots taste more carroty, and chicken more chickeny. Another thing to remember; everyone’s taste buds are different. That’s why I suggest salting at every phase of cooking, and tasting frequently. In my experience, the number one reason my recipes don’t turn out the same when friends cook them; adequate seasoning.

“Stock is typically made from only two ingredients: bones and water…near as I can tell, the only difference between bone broth and stock is salt. Alton Brown

Whether you call it stock or broth, it’s quite literally the #1 ingredient in soup. I don’t want to come across harsh, but if you’re going to make chicken noodle soup, suck it up! Make some broth.

How do I make stock/broth you ask? Don’t worry. I know a gal.

If you haven’t met Philly’s superwoman butcher, Heather Thomason, you’re in luck. I have. Coincidentally, her Substack HUNGRY HEART also has a great chicken broth recipe! If you’re too cheap to subscribe to her feed, Google it. I use a pressure cooker to make broth because it’s faster, and because my wife no longer lets me leave anything on the stove overnight having almost burning the house down once…once.

If you can’t make broth, buying from your local whole animal butcher is the next best thing. If they only carry mixed bone broth (a stock made from a mix of bones and meat found at their shop), don’t panic! Yes, you can tell a slight difference if you substitute mixed broth for chicken stock. But I have used mixed broth in every recipe that calls for chicken stock, and have never had a complaint. Just remember, sometimes pigs find their way into the mixed broth. So be considerate of friends’ dietary restrictions who don’t eat pork.

If you live in California, I can recommend a few great shops that make their own broth: Standing’s (Southern), VMiller Meats (Central), or The Local Butcher Shop (Bay Area). For those outside of California, look for a whole animal butcher in your area, and call ahead to see if they make their own broth. I might know a butcher near you, so holler if you need more advice.

That’s me during my apprenticeship wrestling an 80-gallon tilt kettle to make bone broth each week.

For the rest of you, I have some bad news. Grocery store broth is problematic at best. I have yet to find a store-bought stock that has the same flavor, nutrients or body as butcher shop or homemade varieties.  I did just order a bunch of broths online to test my bias. Friends have recommended Roli Roti and Brodo, but I haven’t tried them. I’ll post my findings soon.

For those of you terrified by a stock pot, or overwhelmed by the store options, I have another kitchen hack for you. Buy yourself some Better Than Bouillon. This stuff is culinary alchemy, and available in most grocery stores. I keep a jar up at the cabin where I don’t have a freezer, or snooty chef friends. Add a scoop to water in a saucepan and PRESTO! Flavor country! But beware. It can be saltier than advertised, so titrate the dose with caution, and taste frequently when adding to your favorite recipes.

OK, enough talk. Now we cook!

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