Creamy Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup
Servings: 4 servings
Creamy Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup is a comforting, zesty twist on classic chicken noodle soup. Quick, easy and freezer-friendly!
Ingredients
CHICKEN
- 500 g 1 lb 2 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (roughly 2 large chicken breasts), cut in half horizontally to make thinner steaks
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
SOUP
- 1 brown onion finely diced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- ¼ cup 35 g plain (all-purpose) flour
- 4 cups 1 litre chicken stock
- 2 cups 500 ml water
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper plus extra to serve
- 150 g 5½ oz vermicelli egg noodles or angel hair pasta
- 1 zucchini courgette, finely diced
- 1 cup 250 ml thickened (heavy) cream
- 1 cup 100 g freshly grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp freshly chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley, plus extra to serve
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Cook the chicken – Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the paprika, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based, deep pan, or a stockpot, over medium–high heat.
- Cook the chicken for 2 minutes on each side until golden. Set aside on a plate (it will still be raw in the centre).
- Make the soup – To the same pan, add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes or until softened.
- Add the butter and, once melted, immediately add the flour. Stir for 1 minute, or until the flour has formed a paste and is no longer visible.
- Add the chicken stock, water, thyme, oregano and pepper to the pan. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer, then return the chicken to the pan. Cook, covered, over medium–low heat, with the lid slightly ajar, for 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken – Remove the chicken from the pan, set aside on a plate, then shred using two forks.
- Add the remaining ingredients – Add the pasta, zucchini and cream to the pan and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the pasta is just cooked.
- Combine everything – Turn the heat off. Return the cooked shredded chicken to the pan, along with the parmesan, parsley and lemon juice. (Too thick or too thin? See note 1.)
- Serve – Serve immediately topped with extra cracked black pepper, parsley and parmesan.
Notes
Note 1 – The soup will thicken as it sits, the noodles will absorb the liquid. Loosen the sauce by adding boiling water from the kettle, ½ cup (125 ml) at a time, until you reach your desired consistency. If you would like to thicken the soup, simmer for 2–3 minutes more over high heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Make ahead
To make ahead, prepare the soup as per the recipe but leave out the noodles, cream and parmesan until reheating, to prevent them from becoming too soft or separating. Refrigerate for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 2 months (without the noodles, cream or parmesan). Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop before adding the remaining ingredients as per the recipe. Add an extra splash of water if the soup is too thick. (See note 1.)Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of water to loosen the soup if needed. The noodles will absorb the liquid as they sit.
- Freeze without the noodles, cream and parmesan for up to 2 months. Add them fresh when reheating, see make ahead instructions.
Scan for full recipe:
