Gettin’ Better Chicken Noodle Soup – Home Recipe!

Winter can be a such a wonderland:  family coming in from all over, reconnecting with old friends, bonding with new ones over a cup of hot cocoa or cider.

Though this may be the case for a great deal of the people in our country, let’s face it, the same may not be said with everyone. Winter can also bring upon ailments such as the flu, upper respiratory issues rendering you short of breath, stiffness and pain in the joints; all making your blissful holiday season a little well… miserable.

Nobody deserves to be miserable… especially during the holiday season!

We want you to relish in the season, so we found our best home recipe just for you! The recipe is called Gettin’ Better Chicken Noodle Soup for a reason. A surefire cure for the winter blues.

This recipe is not only super simple to make with only about 15-20 minutes of total prep time, but it is a very great way to get some good nutrients in without you or your stomach having to work for it.

Nutritious Ingredients:

• 1 & 1/2 lbs of boneless/skinless chicken breasts
  • I like to use a toothpick to poke holes into the chicken beforehand, so it absorbs more flavor
• 2 cups of carrots (chopped) or 2 medium sized sweet potatoes (chopped)
  • I prefer to leave the skin of the sweet potatoes on for a little added fiber if used
• 2 – 3 celery stalks (chopped)
• 3 – 4 medium cloves of garlic (minced) or about 5 – 5 & 1/2 teaspoons of bottled minced garlic
  • Garlic lovers just add about a teaspoon more cause you know you want to
• 1 medium onion (diced)
  • yellow onions are common for this dish, but I have enjoyed sweet onions as well
• 3 cups (about 8 oz) of broccoli florets (optional)
  • I prefer to cut them into quarters depending on the size of the floret
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 – 3 bay leaves (based on preference)
• 6 cups of chicken broth (low-sodium)
  • I sometimes mix it up with 3 cups veggie broth (low-sodium) and 3 cups chicken (low-sodium)
• 1 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of crushed black pepper (regular pepper works too)
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoons of turmeric
  • Please note that the turmeric may turn the inside of your pot a yellowish color if the pot is white for few cleaning cycles, but trust me the anti-inflammatory properties are worth it and the yellow will go away; try cleaning with a little vinegar and baking soda if you want it off faster
• 2 cups of uncooked egg noodles
  • Healthy option can be whole grain egg white pasta OR whole grain rice
• 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley (chopped)

Making the Magic:

1. Get out a 6-quart crock-pot
2. Put your chicken in the pot as the bottom layer
3. Then add your carrots (2 cups chopped) or sweet potatoes (2 cups chopped), your optional broccoli (3 cups), onion (1 whole diced), celery (2 – 3 stalks chopped), your garlic (3 – 4 medium cloves minced or 4.5 – 5.5 teaspoons bottled minced),
4. Next add your olive oil (3 tablespoons), your turmeric (0.25 – 0.5 teaspoons), the thyme (0.5 teaspoon), your crushed black pepper (0.25 – 0.5 teaspoons) and finally your bay leaves (1 – 3 leaves)
5. Add your 6 cups of chicken broth (low-sodium) and/or veggie broth (low-sodium), and your water (1 cup)
6. Stir it up a bit to get the ingredients spread out (chicken still at the base)
7. Put your crock-pot on low heat and cover for about 6 – 7 hours
8. After the 6 – 7 hours, cut your chicken breasts into bite size portions and place back into the pot
9. Add your noodles of choice and fresh parsley, recovering after; will take about 5 – 10 minutes for the noodles to tenderize
10. Enjoy a healthy nutritious meal sure to help you fend off the nasties the winter season may bring!!!

FROM YOUR NATURAL FIT FAMILY