Get our small batch recipe for a delicious single serving chicken noodle soup.
What makes it so delicious? Caramelized veggies. Smoked paprika. Really fun noodles.
Made with leftover cooked chicken and those veggies you forgot were in your fridge.
I don't like the overuse nowadays of the words "comfort food".
It seems like everyone wants to label their top 20 favorite foods as comfort foods.
Well I think there is one true comfort food, so there is no reason for lists or debate.
That food is chicken noodle soup.
When people are sick, they don't ask for pizza, mac & cheese, or meatloaf. They want chicken noodle soup. I think that makes it the ultimate comfort food.
If you are feeling sick or just don't want to make up a big batch of soup, I am here to help you.
You got some leftover chicken in the fridge? Maybe some past their prime veggies?
And don't we all have some half full box of pasta somewhere in our kitchen?
In a flash you can turn out a single serving chicken noodle soup that will satisfy the soul and for the sick get you back on the couch to watch more Netflix.
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🥣 How Much is One Serving?
What would be considered a single serving of soup? If you are having it a a side dish it would be a cup. If it's the main course, I would double that up to 2 cups. The recipe in this post is meant for a hearty single serving of soup for one person.
You can make it a soup for two if you are having it as an appetizer or a side to go with the rest of our meal.
🛒 Ingredients
Here is what we used to make this soup.
- 1 cup leftover chicken cute into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 3 teaspoons oil for sautéing (such as olive oil)
- 2-3 ounces any dried pasta
- koasher salt to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- ½ tsp smoked paprika optional
Choose whatever pasta or dried noodles you like for the soup. Wide egg noodles are a classic. The sky is the limit. The long curly pasta you see in the picture I get at Kroger.
The chicken can be leftover from a whole chicken, chicken thighs, skinless chicken breasts, shredded chicken, etc.. Maybe leftover rotisserie chicken you picked up at the grocery store. Whatever leftover cooked chicken you have.
I can't begin to tell you how good this soup would be with homemade chicken broth. You could always make a big batch of broth and then freeze it into portions by the cup, perfect for when you need to make a recipe like this one.
🌶️ Smoked Paprika
To really make this soup delicious I add some smoked paprika. It dials the flavor up to 100!
My favorite smoked paprika is the Smoked Pimenton Paprika from Burlap & Barrel. Seriously no smoked paprika is better than this one. Here is why:
Our smoked paprika is sourced from a single family fabrica in Extremadura, a hot, dry region of western Spain. Many countries produce versions of smoked paprika, but only Extremadura has been granted the Designation of Protected Origin for the uniqueness and historical tradition of its pimentón de la vera.
Sweet, locally-grown red pimentón peppers are slowly dried over oak coals, which imbue them with a rich, smoky flavor that imparts a savory depth and gorgeous color to any dish.
https://www.burlapandbarrel.com/products/smoked-pimenton
The paprika turns the broth a deeper reddish brown color. Doesn't that look good. It's the beautiful of how adding just one spice can make such a difference.
➕ Optional Ingredients
Some other things you might want to add to your soup to make it amazing.
- Chopped fresh parsley
- Fresh dill
- Any fresh herbs that you have
- Dried herbs
- Soy sauce
- Garlic cloves
- A splash of heavy cream for a creamy soup
- A squeeze of lemon juice from a fresh lemon
Just look at what you have in your fridge that you need to use up and would work in this recipe.
Want to make a batch of chicken noodle in the Instant Pot? Check out our recipe.
🥄 Instructions
⏲️ Cooking time - 20 minutes
This soup can be made in about 15 to 20 minutes. The only prep work is dicing a single carrot and stalk of celery, along with cutting the chicken into bite sized pieces.
I cook the pasta in a pot with enough broth to cover the pasta until al dente. The advantage of this is that the starch from the pasta will get into the broth making it a little thicker and way more ungious.
Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Actually not much different than cooking a pack of Ramen, Just takes a little bit longer.
🥕 Sautéed Veggies
You could make it in a single pot, but I prefer to sauté the veggies in a pan while the pasta cooks. Yes, it dirtys another pot, but the flavor it will add to your soup is worth the effort.
The reason for this that the carrots and celery get caramelized which makes them tasty. If you dice them small enough they will cook and be done right when the pasta is done, so it won't take any longer
Cook the veggies over medium heat until they take on some color. Stir occassionally.
📚 More Soup Recipes
Here are our favorite soups on the blog
Single Serving Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 cup leftover chicken cute into bite sized pieces
- 2 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 carrots diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 3 tsp olive oil or another sauté oil
- 2-3 ounces any dried pasta
- koasher salt to taste
- freshly cracked pepper to taste
- ½ tsp smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- In a medium sauce pan, add you pasta. Add the chicken broth to cover. If it doesn't cover the pasta, add water or more chicken broth to just cover.
- Bring to a boil, stir frequently.
- In the meantime, add your diced carrots and diced celery along with a pinch of salt to a frying pan with the oil.
- Saute the veggies until they are soften and taken on some brown color.
- Once the pasta has come to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Stir and add a liquid.
- Cook until the pasta is done to your liking and remove from the heat.
- Add the chicken to the veggies. If using the paprika add now and mix to combine.
- Add the chicken and veggies to the pasta and broth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Enjoy.
Polyester Ties
What you've made with the leftover chicken is new to me, looks delicious though. I can ask my mom to try that recipe sometimes.