Mac-and-Chick Soup

Blog's Category: My Staple Food

Intro
This is my son's favorite soup, he could eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In fact I would call it all American favorite soup, especialy for kids, am I right? It is even on McDonald's menu. It goes there by name chicken noodle soup, but really, is there a difference between elbow macaroni and noodles? So, as I have being practicing making this soup literally for years, the recipe below has to be fail-proof way of getting great homemade chicken noodle soup which I call Mac & Chick Soup.

Variations
- I use whatever meat I have at home. Usually it's chicken but sometimes I use pork (ouch!) or even beef (!). Why not?
- Instead (or along with) green onion I use fresh herbs such as parsley, thyme or cilantro. If there is no fresh herbs - I grab dry ones, those are always in my pantry.
- Sometimes it is not Mac & Chick, it may be Farfale & Chick, or Penny & Chick - you name it. Should I continue? ... Mac & Pork Soup, Orzo & Beef Soup and so on :)

Mac & Chick Soup

Serves 6-8

2 bone-in chicken breasts, skinless
1/2 onion, diced
3 large potatoes, diced
3 c dry elbow macaroni
1.5 c frozen peas
1 carrot, diced or sliced
4-5 green onions, chopped
celery (optional), diced
salt

- In a large pot, filled on 2/3 with cold water, put your chicken and bring pot to a boil. Cook chicken on a medium heat until it is cooked through.

- Meanwhile prepare your vegetables - washing, peeling, chopping, etc.

- Remove cooked chicken from a pot onto a plate to cool down a little bit.

- Add potato, carrot, onion and celery (if using) to the pot. Cook it stirring occasionally.

- Separate meat from a bone, discard bones (preferably into your doggy's stomack :). Chop meat and return to the pot with a cooking vegetables.

- When potato is completely cooked, add your macaroni and salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until macaroni is cooked.

- Add frozen green peas, green onion and/or herbs. Adjust seasoning but remember, in my opinion, this soup is better undersalted than oversalted. Bring soup to a boil and then turn heat off - you are done with your soup! Enjoy!

Tips
- If you would like your soup fat-free - cook chicken stock in advance (day before) then place pot in a fridge. After fat solidifies on a top of your stock, it can be easily removed and you can continue cooking your soup.
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IN PICTURES

I have to confess - it's canned carrot over there - I just was out of carrot! I never cook with canned vegetables, well.. turns out ALMOST NEVER.

This is my little baby-dog share from Mac & Chick soup.

Here he is.. In a blink of an eye chicken bones just disappeared as never were there..

Peas and onion wait for their turn to jump into the pot.

Almost done - just needs to rich boiling point.

As always, my men like it very much :)