Herbal Soup Recipe: Chicken and Parsley Noodle Soup

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Photo by Howard Lee Puckett; Styling by Judy Feagin and Virginia Cravens-Houston

SERVES 4

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, cut into 1⁄2-inch-thick slices
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 5 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups chopped cooked chicken
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1⁄2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• Parsley Noodles (recipe below)
• 2 cups baby spinach
• Salt and freshly black ground pepper, to taste

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven. Add onions and sauté 5 to 8 minutes. Add carrots and celery and sauté 3 minutes.

2. Add chicken broth, chicken, thyme, rosemary and sage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 to 30 minutes.

3. Add noodles to soup mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in spinach and cook 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into individual soup bowls. 

Parsley Noodles 

• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh Italian parsley
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 to 3 tablespoons milk or cold water

1. Combine flour, salt and parsley in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Add egg and milk; stir together until dough forms a ball. 2 Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a dozen times. Roll dough into a large rectangle, about 9 by 12 inches. Cut into 1⁄2-inch strips, then cut the strips into 2- to 3-inch pieces to form noodles.

Note: You could also use a pasta maker. Just follow the manufacturer’s directions.

Kris Wetherbee is a contributing editor to The Herb Companion. She cooks and gardens in western Oregon. 

Click here for the main article, Warm Up With Herbal Soups.