Fall is finally here! Fall takes longer to arrive in Texas, but it finally made its presence known. In this house, once the cooler temps hit, it is all about the comfort food. From entrees to desserts, we are definitely comfort food people! One of our faves, chicken noodle soup! Chicken noodle soup is a staple in this house once fall comes, so when my daughter requested it I made it immediately. There is just something about the smell of a steaming pot of chicken noodle soup wafting through the air. This recipe is what i follow, but you can customize it to your preference. I do tend to use more than 8 cups of chicken stock because we are broth lovers. Check out this recipe below!

INGREDIENTS

•  2 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 cup carrots, peeled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 large carrots)
•  1 cup celery, sliced thin (about 2 stalks)
•  1 cup sweet Vidalia or yellow onion, peeled and diced small (about 1 medium onion)
•  64 ounces (8 cups) low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if desired
•  2 bay leaves
•  1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)
•  1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
•  12 ounces wide egg noodles (or your favorite noodles or pasta)
•  2 cups shredded cooked chicken (use storebought rotisserie chicken to save time; or roast or cook your own chicken in a skillet)
• salt, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. To a large stockpot, add the oil and heat over medium-high heat to warm.
2. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Stir intermittently.
3. Add the chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, pepper, and bring to a boil. Allow mixture to boil gently for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are fork-tender.
4. Add the egg noodles and boil mixture for about 10 minutes, or until noodles are soft and cooked through. I added a bit more chicken broth once the noodles were cooked through to ensure there was enough broth for the soup.
5. Add the chicken and boil 1 to 2 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through. Taste soup and add salt to taste. I added about 1 tablespoon but this will vary based on how salty the brand of chicken broth used is, how salty the rotisserie chicken is, and personal preference. Make any necessary seasoning adjustments (i.e. more salt, pepper, herbs, etc.), remove the bay leaves, and serve immediately.

This is a recipe that you have to try! The taste is out of this world and I love to make a big batch to eat for leftovers during the week. It stores well in the fridge, about 5-6 days.