Homemade Dump & Taste Chicken Soup

During the winter months a lot of soup is made in my kitchen. In particular, a lot of this homemade chicken soup. The first time I made this for Jake was back when we were in college. We had been dating a few months and he came down with a terrible cold. Wanting to impress this guy who I had started to fall head over heels for, I decided to pull out all the stops and make my mom’s homemade chicken soup. It had been a favorite growing up, and although I hadn’t made it before, I knew it would be the perfect medicine.

I called my mom to ask her for the recipe, and soon learned it was pretty simple and almost impossible to mess up. You basically add a bunch of ingredients to a stockpot and sample it until it tastes just right for you. Hence, why I call it the “Homemade Dump & Taste Chicken Soup.”

If you’re looking for an easy go-to recipe for soup, this is it.

Homemade Dump & Taste Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

-1 whole chicken (cut up) or 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts*

-1 can of corn, drained

-2 cups shredded carrots

-2 cups celery, chopped

-1 cup rice

-2 cups egg noodles (or whatever noodles you prefer or have on hand. I used penne in my last batch.)

-chicken bouillon cubes to taste

-salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Fill a stockpot or dutch oven about halfway full of water and bring to a boil. Add a little salt to the water and boil the whole chicken or chicken breasts for about 20 – 30 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked. Keeping the water in the pot, carefully remove the chicken and set aside to cool. The chicken flavored water in the pan will serve as the broth for the soup. While the chicken is cooling, add the corn, carrots, celery, uncooked rice, and uncooked noodles to the water. Allow them to boil for a bit until tender. While they’re boiling, cut up the chicken into small chunks, removing all bones if you used a whole chicken. Add the chicken to the soup. Turn to low and let simmer until you’re ready to eat. While its simmering, taste the flavor of the soup. If you’d prefer a stronger chicken flavor, add a few chicken bouillion cubes and some salt and pepper to taste. Also feel free to add more rice if you want a thicker consistency. When you’re happy with how it tastes, serve it up!

Recommendations:

I think the soup has better flavor when using a whole chicken, but if you’re looking for a shortcut the chicken breasts work fine too. When buying a whole chicken at the deli, ask them to cut it up for you so all you need to do is dump it in the pan.

As is the case with a lot of soups, this one keeps getting better as the flavors have longer to mix, which means it is great for leftovers. It also works well to freeze it and pull it out on a day when you’re looking for a quick meal. It thickens as it sits, so when you reheat it you may need to add some more water and bouillon cubes. 

If you have your own patient to nurse back to health, or simply want a soup that will leave a lasting impression, I hope you’ll give my mom’s soup a try. It certainly did the trick to win over my honey’s heart!

Make it a great Tuesday, remembering to take a few minutes for yourself today!

Amber

P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!