Chicken Soup

Laurie's Chicken Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 med to lg onion diced

1 bag of baby carrots sliced (minus a few for snacking while cooking) cut 1/4 to 1/2" thick

2 to 3 ribs celery sliced or diced (my crew likes smaller bits)

1 leek sliced (white and pale green part)

2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 boxes chicken stock

1 yummy chicken (chunked or shredded to your liking).

Salt and pepper to taste

Bay leaf (opt)

Flat leaf parsley (opt)

Heat oil in large pot.  Add all veggies and thyme (bay leaf here to), cook until veggies are softened.  I like a little color on some of the veggies but they just need to be softened, 6-7 min.  Add broth/stock bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until veggies are cooked through.  We like them soft-ish.  Add the chicken until warmed through.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir in parsley right before serving.  The parsley will float so you can add a dash to the individual bowls if you would rather.

I use all the meat I can get off the chicken but you could use just the white meat.  Also you can use less than 2 whole boxes of stock as you see necessary.  If you decide to use noodles, I use the egg noodles (either reg or whole wheat). Some recipes you cook the noodles in the pot with the soup but I find I don't have as much broth as I want after they are cooked since they soak up all that liquid.  So I cook the noodles separate and add them at the very end to the soup.