HEARTY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

(Food Theory Blog #3)

During the cold winters season, all you ever want to do is go home, get all cozied up and watch TV for the rest of the evening. What's even better than that? To have a big bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup by your side to warm up your hands and your tummy!

As a child, one of my favourite things to have coming home from school was Lipton's Instant Chicken Noodle Soup. It wasn't anything fancy or expensive. It was a quick, easy and nostalgic food that I would eat once in a while. And I would eat it plain- just the soup and noodles, which was good enough for me. It was also one of the only things I knew how to cook, because all it required was water and heat.

The more I grew, the more I learned techniques and ingredients in which to use while cooking from shows on The Food Network. I started adding whatever I had in the fridge to make the soup more nutritious and hearty. This carried on, and to this day, I just adjust the recipe to suit what ever is in my fridge.

I gave a bowl to my brother to try, he loved it. He ended up finishing the rest of what was left. He's not the most descriptive when it comes to enjoying food, but I know when my brother goes in for seconds, it means he really enjoys it.

RECIPE

YIELDS 3 PORTIONS

Ingredients:

- 1 packet of Lipton's Chicken Noodle Soup Mix

- 1/2 cup medium dice leeks (whites)

- 1/2 cup green peas, blanched

- 1/2 cup brocolli, blanched

- 1 cup chopped chicken, cooked (dark meat, skin on)

- 4 cups water

- 1 tbsp oil

- Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Process the leeks and brocolli. Pan fry the chicken with skin on and blanch the peas and brocolli.

2. Sweat the leeks with oil. Add peas, brocolli, chicken. Bring up to heat.

3. Add 4 cups of water, bring to simmer. Add the Lipton's Soup Mix. Bring to boil. Turn off heat, cover with lid and let sit for 3-4 mins or until noodles are al-dente. Season to taste. (Lipton soup mix is already pretty salty)

I am no Chef myself, and this is a super simple recipe, that anybody can make successfully. It's also so flexible that nobody should have any excuses. It can be even further improved with more herbs & spices, your favourite vegetables, and/or grains, etc.

This chicken noodle soup appeals to the salty and umami taste buds. The flavour of the broth keeps making you come back for more. There is firm texture from the broccoli and peas. The noodles are firm but a little chewy. And tender texture coming from the chicken which is also full of flavour with the skin on. When you let the steam out from under the lid, all you can smell is delicious chicken flavour and the entire room starts to feel warm.

No challenges were involved, it was big success this time. Something I might change next time would be to make it completely vegan. No animal products, I'd add beans and other legumes instead. I also want to try adding evaporated milk into this recipe, this would be inspired by the Filipino Chicken Sopas. My best friend Chelsea's mom always makes this and I love the change in texture of the broth. It makes the broth a little richer, and a little smoother.

In the future, maybe I can make a more gourmet, modernized version of a chicken noodle soup which can go on the menu of my restaurant. For now, I will keep on dreaming, experimenting, and working hard towards my goal!