Who doesn't love Chicken Noodle Soup. Heck, most of us over 40 were raised on a steady diet of Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup in our lunch box thermos.

I have made Chicken Noodle Soup hundreds of times over the years using store bought chicken broth or stock. It's all good, I use Better Than Buillion Low Sodium Roasted Chicken stock base. But the other day, I made this Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch and swore I would never use store-bought chicken broth again! This stuff is so good…and, easy to make using a store bought rotisserie chicken (Costco, still $4.99, baby!).

I suppose saying I would never use store-bought broth or stock again was a bit unrealistic…or is it?

Being retired, I have as much time as I need to make this stuff all the time. The only challenge is making enough and making it often. But, where there's a will there's a way.

If I buy 2 Costco rotisserie chickens a week…save and freeze the meat for future purposes then make broth with the carcass and bones, I will get 2 quarts of broth a week…to use immediately or freeze for future uses.

Consider this…if I buy fresh chickens and roast them myself, it will cost me twice as much versus buying the Costco birds. Let's face it, you will be hard pressed to find a fresh, 4-pound chicken for $4.99 (closer to $10 is what it will cost). Then, for the best broth (using roasted chicken bones), one must, well, roast them.

Does any of this make sense? Onward to my recipe for the best roasted chicken broth I have every made…and the Chicken Noodle Soup I made from it.

Chef's note: Cook the egg noodles separate and not in the soup broth. They will absorb most of your broth.

Ingredients:

For the broth:

  • 1 (4 pound) rotiserrie chicken (I used Costco)
  • 1/2 large yellow onion, peeled, quartered
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled, rough chop
  • 2 medium celery ribs, rough chop
  • 3 medium garlic cloves, smashed
  • 1 large sprig fresh thyme
  • 3 sprigs flat leaf parsley
  • 12 whole peppercorns

For the soup:

  • 4 cups roasted chicken broth
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled, 1/4 inch slice
  • 2 medium celery ribs, 1/4 inch slice
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, 1/4 inch dice
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Kosher salt and white pepper to taste
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
  • 3 ounces cooked egg noodles

Directions:

For the broth:

  • Remove all the meat and bones from the rotisserie chicken. Discard the skin and reserve about 1 1/2 cups of the meat for the soup.
  • Place the carcass and all the bones in a 3 quart saucepan. Add the quartered onion, rough chopped carrots, rough chopped celery, thyme sprig, parsley sprigs, and whole pepperocorns. Cover completely with cold water, about 8 quarts.
  • Bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a low simmer and let it simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours. Sim the foam if desired but it is not necessary. Turn off the heat and allow to sit for 1 hour.
  • Remove all the solids from the broth and discard. Strain the broth through a fine metal sieve lined with cheese cloth. Place the broth in another sauepan, you should have about 4 cups.
  • At this point, you can season the broth with salt and pepper or wait until you make the soup.

For the soup:

  • Place 4 cups of the broth in a medium saucepan and add the carrot coins, sliced celery, diced onions, and bay leaf. Bring the broth to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the lemon zest. Taste and reseason with salt and pepper.
  • COOK THE EGG NOODLES SEPARATELY. If you cook them in the broth, they will absorb most of the broth and you will be left with almost none. Drain the noodles and add to the soup just prior to seving.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley.
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