Creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons
Total Time
40 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Rating
4.96 out of 5 stars
(24)
Ingredients
5 servings
- 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small), cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks (sub boneless thighs)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper
- 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
- 30g/ 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion (, finely diced)
- 2 garlic cloves (, finely minced)
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 2 celery stalks (, chopped (~0.5 x 1.2 cm / 1/5 x 1/2" pieces)
- 1 carrot (, chopped (0.5 x 1 cm / 1/5 x 1/2" pieces)
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk (, full fat best but low fat ok (non-dairy ok too)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking salt
- 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta ( OR angel hair pasta / spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small, spoon-able pasta)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (, optional)
- 1 cup bread (crustless) cut into 7mm / 1/4" cubes - sourdough type is crunchier, regular sandwich bread is fine too)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt
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Preparation
Step 1
Croutons & crispy bacon
Step 2
Croutons - Preheat the oven to 180°C/3450°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss the bread with the oil and salt. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway, until golden and fully crisp (some breads take longer eg sourdough). Cool on the tray, set aside.
Step 3
Season chicken - Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the salt and pepper.
Step 4
Crispy bacon - Place the bacon in a single layer in an un-heated, large pot. Turn the heat onto medium high then cook the bacon until golden on both sides (~2-3 minutes first side, 1 1/2 minutes second side). (Note 2). Remove bacon (leave fat in pot), drain on paper towels. It will crisp as it cools. Finely chop, set aside for garnish.
Step 5
The soup
Step 6
Cook chicken - Using the same pot, still hot, cook the chicken in the tasty bacon fat for 1 1/2 minutes on each side until light golden. Remove onto a plate. Once cool enough to handle, chop into small 8 mm / 1/3" cubes.
Step 7
Broth - Lower heat to medium high. In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, thyme sprigs. Cook 5 minutes until the carrot is softened, stirring regularly (don’t let the onion brown). Add flour and stir for 1 minute. While stirring, slowly pour the milk in. Once the flour is dissolved, add the stock, water and salt, then stir.
Step 8
Simmer - Turn the heat up to high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then. (The soup will seem thin, it thickens as the pasta cooks. Trust!)
Step 9
Pasta - Turn the heat back up to high. Add the pasta and corn. Cook for 5 minutes or until pasta is soft, adding the peas and chicken (including any juices pooled) for the last 2 minutes of cook time.
Step 10
Serve - Ladle into bowls, sprinkle with bacon, croutons and a pinch of parsley. Eat!
Step 11
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