Homemade Noodles & Chicken Soup {w/ recipes}

The title of this post is no mistake. While normally people may say Chicken Noodle Soup, with this recipe, it's really all about the noodles.

And how could it not be? The noodles are homemade with love and worth the extra effort, because there are some things that simply cannot be replicated from a package.

Don't stop reading. Homemade noodles may sound scary, but really they're not. Plus it is the perfect way to show someone that you care about them enough to make homemade chicken noodle soup {I mean "noodle and chicken soup"}.

Growing up, my mom would make this either a) when it was REALLY cold out (read 50 degrees in SoCal) or b) when I was sick. It's one of my favorite comfort foods.

It's a family favorite on my Mom's side. Grandma would make this for all of the grandkids and great grandkids - whether sick, healthy, or the middle of summer in Arizona. In fact, I posted the photo on Facebook and my cousin in Texas instantly commented about "Grandma's chicken noodle soup". 

I made it this past Sunday for my poor husband, who's been sick with the flu since Friday. My weekend was spent taking care of him, and disinfecting our home. God willing (literally), I will be able to avoid catching this awful bug he has. 

Back to the recipe, there is a bit of prep time involved with the noodles. They need at least 12 hours to dry out before cooking. Which makes it easy to prepare the night before, for a lunch or dinner the next day. 

Homemade Noodles

2 cups flour

4 eggs

1 T of salt (optional)

1. Place flour in a mixing bowl and add salt if desired. Make a well in the middle of the flour and crack in the eggs. The well should be deep and wide enough for you to gingerly mix the eggs. 

2. With a fork, begin mixing the eggs in a circular motion and slowly add the flour around it until a dough forms. 

3. On a lightly floured cutting board, roll out the dough until it is very thin. The noodles will plump up quite a bit so try to make them thinner than you think they should be. Cut the noodles into thin strips, about 1/4 inch thick (at most) and around 6 inches long. This will make thick, yummy noodles once cooked.

4. Lay the noodles out on wax paper to dry overnight. Flip the noodles to make sure they don't stick together.

5. {skip this step if making chicken soup} Boil noodles for 10-15 minutes or until tender. 

Homemade Noodles & Chicken Soup

3 c cubed or shredded, cooked chicken
4 c chicken stock
2 c raw vegetables (I used carrots & celery)
1 thinly sliced shallot (optional)
1 T vegetable oil

Mashed Potatoes

1. In a large stock pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Add shallot and raw vegetables. Cook until tender and slightly browned.

2. Deglaze pan with chicken stock and add chicken. Bring to a low boil.

3. Add noodles and cook for 10-15 minutes until tender. Salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

4. Serve atop a small mound of mashed potatoes. When you mix the mashed potatoes with the soup it becomes creamy and wonderful. Enjoy!

What is your comfort food when you're sick?