Today’s Spotlight is on Chicken Noodle Soup.

Chicken soup is a soup made from chicken, simmered in water, usually with various other ingredients. The classic chicken soup consists of a clear chicken broth, often with pieces of chicken or vegetables; common additions are pasta, noodles, dumplings, or grains such as rice and barley. The soup is a heterogeneous mixture because the components are not mixed uniformly.

Chicken noodle soup is a classic comfort food. It’s a nutritious blend of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Chicken soup is also a great way to get fluids and electrolytes into your body, especially if you have a fever or diarrhea.

The ingredients for chicken noodle soup include:

• Chicken
• Broth
• Vegetables, such as carrots, celery, onions, and garlic
• Noodles
• Herbs and spices

You can serve chicken noodle soup with fresh buns or crackers.

 

History

Chicken soup has been around for a long time:

• Ancient times: The earliest recorded use of chicken soup as a therapeutic dish date back to the second century BC in China. The Ancient Greeks also had their own version of chicken broth.
• 16th century: European immigrants, mainly Jews, Mennonites, and Amish, brought chicken soup to America.
• 1824: Recipes for soups containing chicken were published in the United States.

 

The term “chicken soup” was not commonly used until the late nineteenth century. American manufacturers produced and promoted various commercial chicken soups, the most common of which was chicken noodle soup.

The name “chicken noodle soup” is a modern invention. Campbell’s company premiered “Noodle with Chicken Soup” in 1934, but when a radio announcer was reading the advertisement, he misspoke, and a surge of “chicken noodle soup” orders spurred a name change.

Campbell’s head chef, Ernest Lacoutiere, created the soup in 1934 as a tasty and affordable meal option. The soup was originally called Campbell’s Condensed Noodle with Chicken Soup.

Here are some more fun facts about chicken noodle soup:

• Chicken broth – Chicken broth is low in calories and fat, but high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. The collagen and amino acids found in chicken broth can also promote healthy digestion, joint health, and immune function.
• Steam – The steam from hot broth can also open up nasal passages to help you breathe easier.
• Whole grains – The healthiest pots of chicken noodle soup will have lots of vegetables and include whole grains.
• Hippopotamus soup – The earliest archaeological evidence for the consumption of soup dates back to 6000 BC, and it was hippopotamus soup.

 

Chicken noodle soup has been recommended for the common cold for hundreds of years. Here are some reasons why chicken noodle soup is good for sick people:

• Protein and calories – The chicken provides protein, which is needed for healing, and the noodles provide calories.
• Antioxidants – Onions, celery, and carrots contain antioxidants and Vitamins A and C, which help create a strong immune system and fight off viruses.
• Anti-inflammatory effect – Chicken soup can have a mild anti-inflammatory effect, which can help mitigate infections in the upper-respiratory area, such as the common cold.
• Increased mucus flow – Chicken soup can increase mucus flow and help the body rid itself of the cold virus.
• Soothing and warmth – The warmth of the soup can help soothe a sore throat and alleviate congestion.
• Steam – The steam from the soup may also help clear nasal passages.
• Salt – The salt in the soup helps retain fluids during a time you may not drink enough.
• Electrolytes – The broth provides hydrating fluid and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Tryptophan – Chicken is also high in tryptophan, which helps your body produce serotonin that can enhance your mood.

 

Here is a Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe for you to try:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Tablespoon butter
• 2 ribs celery, diced
• 3-4 large carrots diced.
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 10 cups chicken stock, or broth*
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, or more, to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes.
• 1 batch homemade egg noodles*, or 5 cups dry egg noodles, farfalle or other bite-size pasta
• 3 cups rotisserie chicken *
• 1 teaspoon better than bouillon chicken flavor, (or more, as needed), or chicken bouillon granules.

 

Instructions:

1. Add butter, diced celery and carrots to a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
2. Add chicken stock and season the broth with rosemary, sage, crushed red pepper, and salt (definitely TASTE the broth before adding more salt), and pepper. Taste and add a spoonful of “better than bullion” chicken or chicken bouillon cubes or granules as needed.
3. Bring broth to a boil. Add noodles (either uncooked homemade egg noodles, or dry store-bought pasta) and cook just until noodles are al dente.
4. If using store-bought noodles, be cautious not to overcook them! Remove pot from heat as soon as they are just barely tender. The noodles will continue to cook once you remove the pot from the heat, and you don’t want them mushy.
5. Add chicken meat from the rotisserie chicken. Taste the broth again and add more seasonings, if needed.
6. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, depending on the freshness of the chicken you used.
7. Enjoy!

 

Consumption

According to Tastewise, people consume chicken noodle soup 1.29 times per year on average. Campbell’s Soup Company uses tens of millions of pounds of chicken each year.

The average chicken weighs about three pounds, but only two pounds of that is meat. Thirty-two ounces of useable meat would fill up 32 cans of soup.

 

Celebrating Chicken Noodle Soup

National Chicken Noodle Soup Day is celebrated annually on March 13th.

There’s also a Chicken Noodle Soup challenge. To participate, you can learn the choreography from j-hope’s song and repost a video of yourself doing it to a social media platform using the hashtag #cnschallenge.

The dance originated in Harlem and became viral during 2006 on YouTube. The basic dance features exaggerated shuffling, which consists of arm swinging, and a pantomime of the song’s lyrics.

Let us know in the comments how you celebrate chicken Noodle Soup.