Wilma's Chicken Soup (EASY)

Wilma found this recipe and it is so easy and so good.
Long directions - details for people who have not done a lot of cooking.
Tastes even better the second day.

Chicken Soup

3 Tbsp butter or olive oil

1 onion - (white, yellow or red) chopped up

3-4 carrots sliced into 1/4-inch pieces - or chunkier if you are in a hurry

1-2 stalks of celery - sliced same as carrots ( I tend to cut up the vegetables in fairly small pieces - choose a size you like)

2 Tbsp flour

Garlic to taste - fresh if you have it

1/2 tsp dried thyme

2 cans (15 oz) chicken broth or one (32 oz) cartons - Swanson’s

1 1/2 lbs (or more) boneless, skinless chicken thighs - cut into 1 1/2-in pieces.

(OK to use part white meat - if someone in the house only likes white meat - but dark meat has more flavor)

1 lemon

Pasta of your choice - Reame’s frozen noodles are good if you like the really thick homemade noodles. Any other kind of pasta is fine. 

Heat the heavy bottom pot, dutch oven or LeCreuset

Add butter or oil.

Butter will foam up a bit. You want the onion to sizzle when it first hits the pot. But then turn down a bit.

Saute onion, for a couple minutes, while you cut up the carrot and celery.

Add the carrot and celery. Let them sweat while you get the chicken and broth ready.

Do not let anything brown. 

Add the flour, stir, cook for a minute - don’t let it brown.

Add garlic if you have it. Garlic powder is fine.

Add the chicken and 1 can broth (or half the carton) all at once.

Add the thyme.

Cover, turn down and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Just simmer - not a boil.

If you do not want to watch it, put it in a 350 degree oven for an hour.

Add the other can of broth unless you want less broth.

You can add the pasta to the soup, but I like to cook it separately and then add it.

I love the PASTA-FASTA cooker.

Uses less water, you just put it in microwave.

Available at Bed-Batb&Beyond

Right before serving - add the juice of one lemon (half if it is large)

And the zest of a small lemon.

Hopefully you have a micro-plane

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

There is usually enough salt in the broth.

Don’t buy low-salt broth.

It usually needs salt at the end and I like to add it right before eating.