So, what are you gonna do with all that glorious Stock/Broth you’ve made with your leftover turkey carcass this year? I’m voting for this recipe of Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup – and it’s a long time family favorite at our house.
Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup
If you don’t have homemade broth or stock, don’t sweat it. You can still make this soup with a good boxed or canned broth or stock, too. And in an absolute pinch, bullion cubes or a Better than Bullion can stand in; you might want to go with a ratio that’s less than a cube or teaspoon per cup.
About Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup:
This was one of the first posts I ever published; it’s a family specialty. This is a soup, when made with a good stock and noodles that rivals Chicken & Dumplings in flavor but without any heaviness. It’s a go-to family favorite and absolute comfort food in my book.
You can see from the photos that this is a classic Midwestern chicken or turkey noodle soup. It’s based on the mirepoix of onion, celery, and carrot, you can’t get more classic than that! An herb or two (I especially like marjoram in this soup) adds some interest and the egg noodles make it nice and hearty.
Speaking of egg noodles, you can go to the store and buy them; you’ll want wide egg noodles, and you can go for dry noodles off the shelf or search out a better frozen egg noodle from the freezer section. The frozen ones are an upgrade, but you’ll pay for it; they command a much higher price.
But do ya wanna know the BEST egg noodle? Make them homemade from this simple little Homemade Egg Noodle recipe. They take very little time and literally cost pennies to make. They’re so fresh and delicious and really do “make” the soup. If you are going the whole route and making your stock from scratch, I’d recommend doing the same for the noodles.
A little lady that lived downstairs from me taught me how to make these homemade egg noodles when I was around 20 or so, and I’ve been making them ever since. If I could learn at that age, anyone can!
Best Turkey Broth or Chicken Broth – it makes such a difference!
Making Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup:
Usually, when I make stock or broth, I have enough turkey chicken that can be picked from the bones and added back in. If that isn’t the case, I make sure to have about one and a half cups of either shredded or chopped chicken or turkey (whichever I’m working with) to add and heat in at the end.
If you’re working with a raw product, just add whatever it is to the soup right after the stock/broth goes in. Cook until done, then remove and set aside until cool enough to handle and cut or shred. In the meantime get your noodles going and add that shredded or cut turkey or chicken back in once the noodles are done.
Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup
Storing and Reheating:
If you have quite a lot of soup leftover (or you’re making ahead) you might want to let it cool before placing it in the fridge so there is no risk of heating the fridge. Once the soup is warm, loosely cover it, place it in the fridge, and then fully cover it once it is cold.
Anytime you reheat a soup like this, you’ll see it comes out of the fridge gelled (if you have great broth or stock) or just thickened up from the starchiness of the noodles. It will thin up a little as it is reheated but if it is still thick, add a little additional water if necessary and it will be just fine.
Pizza Rollers cut dough – and all kinds of stuff!
Saving Money on Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup:
- I make this every year with leftover turkey and veggie scraps after Thanksgiving, but I also keep an eye on other items that might languish after the big feast. If you have celery or carrot sticks from a crudite platter, they can be chopped up and tossed in this soup too.
- At my house, vegetable scraps are tossed in a bag in the freezer regularly, and Thanksgiving is no exception! They make a better broth/stock than whole pieces of vegetables. And of course, this helps eliminate waste as well as helps to save a bit of cash, too. I’ve gotten to the point where whenever I see my freezer bag start to fill up I look for specials on chicken (if I don’t already have some in my freezer, that is) just so I can make soup.
- If you do buy your stock or broth, before any holiday is a great time to pick some up on sale, especially before or around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Stock up when you see it at a low.
Chicken or Turkey Noodle Soup
I hope you all enjoy this simple soup recipe as much as we have over the years. And I hope, if you’re so inclined, that you might want to make the egg noodles from scratch. If you like cooking it’s a fun little project. They elevate this classic soup into something special, and if you have kids, they’ll love to help out.
It’s surprising how easy they are to make and compared to store-bought, how cost-effective they are! As a matter of fact, I always feel a little ripped off now when I buy the packaged ones!
Take care all,
Mollie
PrintChicken or Turkey Noodle Soup
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Soups
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced small
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced small
- 2 celery ribs, diced small
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
- 2 quarts chicken or turkey stock
- 8 ounces dried wide egg noodles – or homemade egg noodles (they cost just pennies!) or a frozen noodle
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey or chicken
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley to taste
- lemon slices or wedges if desired
Instructions
Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat the bottom with oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and marjoram. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned.
Pour in the stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the noodles and turkey and simmer until noodles are cooked through – timing varies with the noodles. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. Pass with lemon if desired.
A good broth or stock will make your soup taste great, but if for some reason it tastes a bit flat, a few things can help. Maybe it needs salt or pepper, and a bit of acidity can brighten a soup – a small squeeze of lemon, a few drops of vinegar. If your broth is just too weak, you could add a bit of chicken soup base.
Nutrition:
(based on 6 servings)
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 377 Calories; 12g Fat (29.7% calories from fat); 32g Protein; 34g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 74mg Cholesterol; 345mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 1 Fat.
Helpful Links
If you came to this recipe looking for a way to use leftover turkey or chicken, be sure to check out the link, below. You might want to see the sister post for Ham, too.
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