lemon chicken noodle soup

It’s December and my dearest is sick. Now, I could take the easy way out and pop open a can of condensed soup. But….well, honestly? Yuck. Anything that has to be reconstituted can’t be healthy for a cold-ridden, snuffly boy. And have you ever taken a look at the sodium content? You don’t want to.

Instead? Let’s fill the house with the comforting smell of chicken soup simmering away. Let’s add some lemon for Vitamin C, wheat noodles for protein and, why not! let’s use elbow pasta to make him smile.

And what’s better? No cream here! We are using a simple trick to make it creamy. Eggs to thicken the soup without all those extra calories!

He’ll be up and at ‘em in no time!

Lemon Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves 4.
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken tenders
Pinch of salt, plus more to taste
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup elbow, preferably whole wheat
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat a non stick grill over medium heat. Season the chicken with the salt, and grill until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, shred, and set aside.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pot. Add the onion, celery, carrot, and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and let simmer until tender, about 8 minutes. Turn the heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

Warm the remaining 1 cup broth in a small saucepan until it is hot but not boiling. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the eggs. Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while. Add the mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened. Do not let the soup come to a boil.

Add the cooked chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper and serve.