Ultimate Savory Chicken Noodle Soup

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Prepare roasted chicken: Place chicken pieces on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly coat with 2 teaspoons oil, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

3. Toss carrots, onion, and garlic with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Arrange mixture around the chicken pieces on baking sheet.

4. Roast in the preheated oven until vegetables are golden brown and chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 50 to 60 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add 1 cup cold water.

5. Remove chicken pieces from the baking sheet and let sit until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard chicken skin. Shred meat from chicken, keeping white meat and dark meat separate. Place bones in a large Dutch oven. Set aside 3 ½ cups white meat for the soup. Reserve dark meat and any remaining white meat for another use.

6. Prepare stock: Add liquid and vegetables from the baking sheet to the Dutch oven. Add 10 cups cold water, carrots, celery, onion, parsley stems, and bay leaf; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, occasionally skimming the surface for impurities, 2 to 4 hours. Strain and discard solids and reserve stock.

7. Prepare soup: heat butter and olive oil in a clean Dutch oven medium-high heat until butter has melted. Add carrots, celery, and onion and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, another 3 to 5 minutes. Add 10 cups reserved stock and chicken base and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until veggies are tender, about 30 minutes.

8. While the soup is cooking, fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rapid boil. Cook egg noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain.

9. Stir cooked egg noodles into the soup with reserved white meat and parsley. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if necessary.

Cook’s Notes:

If your store doesn’t sell cut-up chicken on the shelves, the butcher will often cut it up for you at no extra charge. It’s much easier to handle the smaller pieces than the whole bird.

The stock can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 4 days or frozen for up to 6 months.

Make the soup your own by adding other herbs or pasta shapes.