Chicken-Ramen Soup

Who doesn't love a good chicken noodle soup? This is a twist on the original and tastes just as good! Oh, and it's from my handy dandy Pillsbury Annual Recipes 2007 edition cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 cup ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch slices
1 cup sliced (1/4-inch) celery (2 medium stalks)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups cut-up deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2 lb. chicken)
6 cups water
1 package (3 oz.) chicken-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Directions:
In 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.

Stir in chicken, water, contents of seasoning packet from soup mix, salt and pepper. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer uncovered 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in noodles from soup mix; simmer uncovered 3 minutes longer or until noodles are tender

Serves: 6 (1 cup each)


Okay...
I didn't actually use baby carrots because I had regular carrots already. And since you have to slice them anyway, just use whatever you want or what you have in your fridge.

I think I used 3 or 4 cloves of garlic because I like garlic and thought this wasn't enough. My soup was by no means garlicky.

I've made this with the rotisserie chicken (which I liked quite a bit) and with plain cooked, shredded chicken. Both are good so don't stress about using a rotisserie chicken if you don't want to, though I do think I liked it just a bit more with the rotisserie chicken.

Also, I use about 3 cups water and 3 cups chicken broth/stock to give the soup more flavor. Even though you add the flavoring packet to the soup there's no way it will add enough flavor to 6 cups of boring old water. OR you could add chicken bullion cube(s)/crystals to the water to get more flavor.


I think this soup tastes more complicated than it is to make, which is always nice :) Enjoy!