Chicken and Corn Noodle Soup

A rich, warm stock is the perfect place for tender pieces of chicken, sweet kernels of corn, and long strands of pasta to hang out.

After a quick inventory of pantry items and a brief run to the market, I decided to turn off the news and make something hot and soothing. Chicken soup seemed ideal. Chicken soup carries with it a reputation for its healing powers. There is a lot of debate but one can hardly argue that it delivers a pleasant comfort.

This soup comes together with a short, simple list of ingredients – many you might already have on hand. Start with chicken stock then ramp it up with one of my favorite ingredients, concentrated chicken base. My favorite is Better Than Bouillon and can be found in the market aisles alongside prepared stocks.

Then this chicken noodle soup takes a delicious turn with the addition of corn and hard-boiled eggs, puréed into the stock adding another layer of flavor. Toss in chunks of roasted chicken, more golden kernels of corn, a sprinkling of parsley plus thin strands of pasta.

And if you want to shorten the cooking time, grab a roasted chicken or two while you’re out making that quick run to the market. Cut up any extra chicken and stash it in your freezer for your soups, frittatas, quiches, or casseroles. Any type of thin noodle or pasta will work. I used a thin fettuccine and it worked perfectly.

This is a soul-warming bowl of soup, something that we can always use!

Chicken and Corn Noodle Soup

7 cups chicken stock

1-½ tablespoons concentrated chicken base, such as Better Than Bouillon

1 package frozen organic corn, 10-ounces, divided

2 hard boiled-eggs

2 cups chopped roasted chicken breast

½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

1-½ tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 1 teaspoon dried

6 ounces thin noodles or fettuccini

Pour the chicken stock into a stockpot along with the chicken base. Bring the stock to a simmer over medium heat. Continue cooking for about 30 minutes to reduce the stock slightly and intensify the flavor. Add 1 cup of the corn and the eggs. Purée in a blender or with an immersion blender until smooth. You can also transfer it to a blender and purée.

Toss the chicken into the stock with the remaining corn, kosher salt, and black pepper.

Stir in the parsley and simmer over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Check for seasoning, adding more kosher salt or pepper if needed. Stir the noodles into the soup and continue cooking over medium heat.

Cook until the pasta is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Serves 6.