Description
Hearty paula deen chicken noodle soup brings comfort and warmth to hungry families with classic Southern hospitality. Rich broth, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked noodles will satisfy anyone craving homemade goodness.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 (2 ½ to 3 lbs/40-48 oz) cut up whole chicken
- 3 chicken bouillon cubes
- 3 ½ quarts/14 cups water
- 2 ½ cups uncooked egg noodles
- 1 peeled and diced onion
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 2 cups sliced with leafy green tops celery
- 1 cup sliced rinsed and drained mushrooms
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- ⅓ cup cooking sherry
- 3 tbsps chopped, plus more fresh parsley
- 2 tsps chopped fresh rosemary
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 ½ to 2 tsps Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp Paula Deen Lemon Pepper Seasoning
- to taste Paula Deen Seasoned Salt
- freshly ground to taste black pepper
- ¾ cup (optional) heavy cream
- 1 cup grated (optional) Parmesan cheese
- for serving crusty French bread
Instructions
- Broth Creation: Combine bay leaves, bouillon cubes, onion, carrots, celery, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic, whole chicken, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large soup pot. Fill with water and simmer for 35-45 minutes until chicken becomes fork-tender.
- Chicken Preparation: Carefully extract chicken from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Strain and reserve approximately 3 quarts of aromatic stock, discarding bay leaves. Cool chicken slightly, then meticulously shred meat, removing skin, bones, and cartilage.
- Noodle Integration: Return strained stock to pot and bring to a gentle boil. Add egg noodles, cooking until al dente, typically 6-8 minutes. Reintroduce shredded chicken to the bubbling liquid.
- Flavor Enhancement: Fold in sliced mushrooms, fresh chopped parsley, a splash of sherry, and aromatic rosemary. Optional: Swirl in cream and sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese. Simmer for 2 minutes, allowing flavors to harmonize. Fine-tune seasoning with seasoned salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Notes
- Broth Boosting Tip: Use homemade chicken stock for deeper, richer flavor complexity that elevates the entire soup’s taste profile.
- Chicken Selection Strategy: Choose a whole chicken with good marbling for maximum moisture and natural richness in the final dish.
- Seasoning Symphony: Layer seasonings gradually, tasting throughout cooking to create balanced and nuanced flavor depth.
- Texture Transformation: Shred chicken while still warm for easier separation and more tender meat pieces that blend seamlessly into the soup.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg