Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup is a dish that I grew up with, and never felt the need to look further than Campbell’s until moving to the jungle, where it quickly became necessary to figure out how to create it from scratch. Along the way, I discovered this fantastic Guatemalan custom of adding half a fresh avocado and a good squeeze of lemon, and always cilantro if you have any. After trying a variety of noodles, I prefer the Angel Hair Spaguetti noodles, broken into thirds. Since we can’t buy chicken stock here, I usually bake chicken thighs and drumsticks and freeze them, as well as the juice from the cooking, to use in a variety of recipes.

(I’ve been learning that the best photos are those taken earlier in the day when the natural sunlight streaming through my kitchen windows, illuminates perfectly.)

Chicken Noodle Soup

3 pieces chicken (either drumsticks or thighs) baked
1 – 2 Tbsp. drippings from the baking of the chicken
4 cups water
salt and pepper
1 small carrot
1 stick celery
1 small onion
Spaguetti noodles, broken in thirds
2 avocados
1 lemon
chopped cilantro

Put the chicken and drippings, with some salt and pepper, in the water and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes while chopping the carrot, celery and onion.

Remove the chicken from the broth and add the vegies.

Debone and chop the chicken and set aside.

Add the spaguetti noodles. I add enough to make the soup quite thick and not too watery.

Add the chopped chicken.

Serve topped with half an avocado, chopped cilantro and a lemon slice on the side.

Serves 4