Easy Homemade Turkey or Chicken Soup

Nothing beats a warming bowl of chicken soup come cool weather.  As a kid, I loved the soup that came in a can, especially when I was sick.  But now, I prefer the homemade variety, and with this recipe, I can have all the homemade flavor without hours of cooking.  Growing up, we had the tradition of making Turkey Noodle Soup to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey...it was quick, easy, AND delicious!   And lets be honest here...after letting our belt notches out a couple of times from the previous days' gluttony, a lighter meal is perfect!  I think you will love this soup too, it goes well with homemade bread, or a slice of my Millet Cornbread.  Grab a steaming bowl and get cozy!

6 cups chicken broth (I used Better Than Bouillon)
2 cups water (or more if you like a really brothy soup)
1 whole roasted deli chicken (or roast your own if you like), or use your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions,  diced
2 large carrots, cut into rounds or half rounds, depending on size
2 large stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick (I usually put the celery tops in too, and remove when it is time to eat)
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
10 oz gluten free noodles (Trader Joe's best deal, and great texture!!)
Salt & pepper to taste

TIP: Gluten free noodles get mushy and absorb loads of liquid if left in a broth or liquid.  For this reason, I cook the noodles separately, add what I want to a bowl, and top with steaming broth.  I store leftover cooked noodles separately!

Remove the meat from the chicken and set aside.  Place the remaining bones and skin in a large stock pan along with the chicken broth and water.  Bring to a simmer for about 30 minutes to release the flavor of the bones.   Pour the broth through a strainer and discard the skin and bones.  Set the broth aside.  In the same stock pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Saute the onions, carrots, and celery until soft, about 8-10 minutes.  Add in the reserved broth and thyme.  Bring to a simmer and taste for salt: depending on your roast chicken, you may need to add very little.

In another saucepan, bring some water to a boil for the noodles.  Cook according to directions (I have noticed that the Tinkiyada brand suggests a boiling time much longer than needed, taste test your noodles to be sure).  Strain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Add the reserved chicken meat to the awaiting broth.  I had enough leftover chicken to make some chicken salad...depends on the size of your chicken AND how meaty you like your soup.

To serve, put desired amount of cooked noodles into a bowl.   Ladle soup over the top and serve with fresh ground pepper!



This recipe was shared on Sunday Night Soup Night,  Real Food Wednesday,  Traditional Tuesday,  Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Gluten free Homemakers "Gluten Free Wednesday" and on Gluten Free Holiday over at Cook It Allergy Free