Crispy Chicken Noodle Soup
Winter is here! This warm and comforting crispy chicken noodle soup is perfect for the cold winter weather!
All of the ingredients used to make this noodle soup are kidney and renal-diet friendly. People who have been advised to watch both sodium and potassium intake can safely enjoy this delicious, comforting bowl of soup!
P.S. besides consuming hot soup, another way to stay warm in the cold is to wear a face mask to keep your face warm! And it’ll help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 too! It’s a win-win!
<INGREDIENTS> serve ~6 people
1 tablespoon olive oil
1.25 lbs chicken drumsticks
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped celery
6-7 cups water
4 fresh thyme sprigs
4-5 bay leaves
ground black pepper
1/3 teaspoon sea salt
1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 fresh lemon, sliced into quarter wedges
<DIRECTIONS>
1. Pat dry the drumsticks with paper towel. Pinch thyme leaves off of one sprig. Mix the thyme leaves, 1 teaspoon or more of ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt together in a small bowl, then rub the seasoning mixture underneath the chicken skin of drumsticks, and then let sit until the drumsticks get to room temperature.
2. In a large sauté pan that comes with a lid, heat oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add in drumsticks, with the more skin sides down, and cook for about 4-5 minutes until the chicken skin gets nicely browned and crispy. Turn the drumsticks to lightly brown rest of the skin, about 2-3 minutes of cooking on each side. When all sides are browned, position the drumsticks so that the most crispy sides are facing up in the pan, and then add in chopped garlic and a bit of chopped onion to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan with lid and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the drumsticks are cooked all the way through. You can check if it’s done either by using a meat thermometer to see if it’s at 165 degrees F or checking the meat next to the chicken bone and see if it’s pink or white.
3. Transfer the cooked drumsticks onto a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Place the pan in the oven to keep the drumsticks warm.
4. Keep the chicken fat and oil inside the large sauté pan, turn the heat to medium, add in chopped onions, stir and cook for about a minute, and then add in chopped celery and carrots. Stir with a spatula for few seconds to combine the chopped veggies.
5. Pour 6-7 cups of water into the sauté pan. Add in 1+ teaspoon ground black pepper and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt. Stir the soup a bit with a spatula or large spoon to mix in the black pepper and sea salt. Then add in bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Turn the heat to medium-high and cover with lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes.
6. Take the lid off of the sauté pan, the soup should be boiling, add in egg noodles, stir with a spatula or spoon so the noodles are immersed in the liquid. Add a bit more water if needed to allow most of the noodles be immersed in liquid. Cover with lid and cook over medium-high heat for 8 minutes.
7. Take the lid off, the egg noodle texture should be about al dente, turn off the heat, squeeze juice from 1/4 fresh lemon into the soup, and stir the soup with spatula or spoon.
8. Ladle out the noodle soup into serving bowls, place crispy chicken drumsticks on top of the soup, garnish with chopped cilantro, squeeze additional lemon juice in if desired, serve immediately, and enjoy it hot!
Happy eating! 🙂
If you make this recipe, take a picture and tag @lifeissweetwithem and hashtag it #lifeissweetwithem on Instagram, I’d love to see your creation!