Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon

It takes less than 30 minutes to make this soup and it's just perfect on a cold day when you need some comfort food. You can use left-over or canned chicken or turkey and pretty much whatever veggies you've got on hand. The lemon and garlic give this soup a special zing and set it apart from "boring" chicken noodle soup.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast (can use leftover chicken or turkey or I often use 2 12.5 oz. cans of premium chunk chicken breast that I buy in 8-packs at Costco)
• 1 cup finely chopped celery (I often don't have celery so I don't use it but it gives it a nice flavor)
• 1-2 cups chopped carrots (can use freeze dried carrots from food storage - 1/4-1/2 cup dried carrot pieces adds up to plenty of carrots in the soup - see photo below)
• 1/2 an onion, minced (can use 2 tsp dried minced onion)
• 12 cups water
• 9 cubes bouillon or 9 tsp "Better Than Bouillon" concentrate (or use 12 cups chicken broth and skip the water and the bouillon)
• 8 oz egg noodles (I like to use homemade-style egg noodles - "Country Pasta" brand - see photos below. I put in more noodles since my kids like lots of noodles in their soup)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 crushed fresh garlic cloves)
• 1/2 tsp marjoram or italian seasoning or basil or oregano (any are good)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups (or one large bunch) chopped fresh broccoli (optional - but it's really good! chopped cabbage is another good option to include)
• 2 cups frozen peas
• juice of one large lemon (2-3 tablespoons)

Directions

1. In a large stock pot, saute celery and onion in a tsp of olive oil (about 3 minutes, until limp and slightly browned).

2. Add chicken, carrots, water, bouillon, marjoram, garlic, black pepper, bay leaf. Simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Add noodles (and broccoli plus any other fresh veggies you want) and keep at a low boil for 10 more minutes or until noodles and veggies are tender.

4. After it's been simmering for 5 of the 10 minutes, add the frozen peas, lemon.