30-60 min4-6 peopleAmerican

Chicken Noodle Soup

By Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

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4-6 people

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30-60 min

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Easy

Chicken Noodle Soup
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Recipe Details

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 30 min

Total Time: 30-60 min

Cooking Technique: Max Pressure Cook, Pressure Cook

Cuisine: American

Diet: Dairy Free

Yield: 4-6 people

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen chopped onions; or
  • 2 tsp peeled and minced garlic
  • 2 tsp stemmed fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 tsp stemmed and minced fresh dill fronds
  • 1 tsp dried dill
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 1 1/2 lbs frozen chicken tenders
  • 10 oz frozen sliced carrots
  • 6 oz regular, no‑yolk, or gluten-­free dried egg noodles
The world’s best chicken soup is made with dark-meat chicken on the bone. But it sure isn’t the quickest. For this convenient and still-delicious classic chicken noodle, we’ve opted for chicken tenders because they cook quickly. No, they don’t dry out in this technique because they’re thawing as they begin to cook— and are then done in a flash. If you’ve bought a large bag (say, 4 pounds) of fresh chicken tenders, you must first freeze 1 1/2 pounds of it in a clump (in a sealed plastic bag, of course) to make this soup. It’s very hard to break a giant block of frozen chicken tenders into a chunk that’s the right weight. Trust us: We cracked the edge of a sink breaking a block apart.

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Stir the broth, onion, garlic (if using), thyme, dill, and salt in a Instant Pot. Set the block of frozen tenders in the pot (it maypartially rest against the side of the insert). Lock the lid onto the pot.
  2. Option 1 : Max Pressure Cooker
    Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 6 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
  3. Option 2 : All Pressure Cookers
    Press Soup/Broth, Manual or Pressure Cook (The valve must be closed) for 8 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
  4. Use the quick-­release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal. Unlatch the lid and open the cooker.
  5. Break up the chicken in the pot. For the neatest pieces, use poultry or kitchen shears to cut the tenders into spoon-sized pieces. Or use the edge of a metal cooking spoon to break up the tenders (although this method requires wrist strength and a little sweaty determination.) Stir in the carrots and noodles. Lock the lid back onto the pot.
  6. Option 1 : Max Pressure Cook
    Press Pressure cook on Max pressure for 3 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
  7. Option 2 : All Pressure Cookers
    Press Soup/Broth, Manual or Pressure Cook (The valve must be closed) for 4 minutes with the Keep Warm setting off.
  8. Use the quick-­release method to bring the pot’s pressure back to normal. Unlatch the lid and open the cooker. Stir the soup well beforeserving

Notes

• For a heartier soup, add up to 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables with the frozen carrots.
• For a more complex flavor, use 5 cups chicken broth and 1 cup dry white wine.
• Ginger is a nice touch (especially if you’ve got the sniffles): Add up to 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger with the onion.
• Ever tried a ham bone in chicken noodle soup? It adds a distinct meatiness. Add a thawed ham bone with a little bit of meat (not gobs) on it when you add the chicken. And omit the salt, since most hams are salty.

About the chef

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough

In this duo, Bruce Weinstein is the chef and Mark Scarbrough, the writer. Together, they’ve published over 35 cookbooks, hit international best-seller lists, won national and international awards, and have been interviewed by the best, from Lester Holt to Barbara Walters. Weinstein also writes knitting books, designs patterns, and teaches knitting workshops. Besides writing their cookbooks, Scarbrough also teaches literature classes; has a podcast called Walking With Dante, where he takes you on journey from hell to paradise; and has written a memoir, BOOKMARKED: HOW THE GREAT WORKS OF WESTERN LITERATURE F*CKED UP MY LIFE.

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