Wilma's Chicken Soup - short version

Note: I tried something different and I think it was even better.

I did not have any chicken broth - so I used 32 oz of water - a packet of ramen noodle seasoning and a tablespoon of the chicken stock paste that comes in a jar (Better Than Bouillon). I also added 2T of tamari - soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce would be fine in place of tamari.

If you don't have packets of ramen seasoning - use a heaping tablespoon of the Better Than Bouillon with the 32-oz of water

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 may be found at this link:

http://jeanmariesrecipes.blogspot.com/2017/02/wilmas-chicken-soup-easy.html
This soup 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 

2 Tbsp flour

Garlic to taste - fresh if you have it

1/2 tsp dried thyme (fresh if you have it - 1 Tbsp)

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

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

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. 

Salt and pepper to taste.

Add a bay leaf during the simmering time if you like.

Heat butter or oil in heavy bottomed pan or soup pot.

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. (or just add all the liquid at once - I can't see how it makes a difference.

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.

You may add the rest of the broth (if you only added 1/2 when you added the chicken) and cook the noodles in the broth, but I prefer to cook the pasta separately and add to the soup. Noodles that sit in the broth until the next day will get too soggy - so I always keep pasta and soup separately.

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

And the zest too, if you have a zester or micro-plane

I only add the lemon juice to the amount that I am serving.

It seems to lose it's potency if it is put in the fridge overnight.

Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

If you like - a sprinkle of parmesan or romano cheese is good, too.

To make it a little different - if you are tired of it by the third day - and you have sour cream - stir some in -

and that will make it creamy - or add cream if you have it on hand.