Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for any day. Tender chicken pieces simmered in a rich milk and chicken broth base are combined with vegetables, angel hair pasta, and sweet corn kernels. Crispy bacon bits and homemade toasted mini croutons add a delightful crunch and finishing touch that elevate this classic soup to a new level.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; boneless thighs can be substituted)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper
Bacon and Croutons
- 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
- 1 cup bread (crustless) cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes – sourdough preferred but regular sandwich bread works fine too
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch cooking salt / kosher salt
Sauté Base & Aromatics
- 30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme (optional)
- 2 celery stalks, chopped (~0.5 x 1.2 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
- 1 carrot, chopped (0.5 x 1 cm / 1/5 x 1/2″ pieces)
Liquids & Thickener
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk (full fat preferred but low fat or non-dairy alternatives are acceptable)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking salt
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta or spaghetti broken into 6 pieces (or other small, spoon-able pasta)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
Garnish
- Finely chopped parsley (1/2 tsp, optional)
- Chopped crispy bacon (prepared from above)
- Mini croutons (prepared from above)
Instructions
- Croutons Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss the bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt until evenly coated. Spread them on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through to ensure even browning. Bake until golden and thoroughly crisp, then let cool on the tray and set aside.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with 1/4 tsp cooking salt and 1/4 tbsp black pepper evenly to season.
- Crispy Bacon: Place the bacon strips in a single layer into a cold large pot. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook the bacon until golden on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and 1.5 minutes on the second side. Remove the bacon, drain on paper towels to crisp further, and finely chop for garnish. Leave the bacon fat in the pot for cooking the chicken.
- Cook Chicken: Using the same pot with the hot bacon fat, sear the chicken breasts for 1.5 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Remove the chicken to a plate and allow to cool slightly. Chop the chicken into small 8mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
- Prepare Soup Base: Lower the heat to medium-high. In the same pot, melt unsalted butter and add diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs (if using). Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly, until the carrot softens but the onion does not brown.
- Make Roux and Add Liquids: Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. Slowly pour in the milk while stirring to dissolve the flour completely. Once smooth, add the chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt, stirring to combine thoroughly.
- Simmer Soup: Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Then lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will be thin initially but will thicken as the pasta cooks.
- Cook Pasta and Add Vegetables: Turn heat back to high and add broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for 5 minutes or until the pasta is tender. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, stir in the frozen peas and chopped chicken (including any juices that have collected on the plate) to warm through.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls and garnish generously with the chopped crispy bacon and homemade mini croutons. Sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- The bacon fat left in the pot imparts rich flavor to the chicken and soup base.
- Use full-fat milk for a creamier soup or substitute with your preferred milk alternative if desired.
- Angel hair pasta cooks quickly and helps thicken the soup; other small pasta shapes broken into pieces will work well too.
- Crispy bacon and croutons add delightful texture contrasts to the creamy soup.
- Vegetables should be chopped uniformly to ensure even cooking.
- Simmer the soup gently to avoid the milk scorching on the bottom of the pot.
- For a dairy-free version, use non-dairy milk and ensure the chicken stock is dairy-free.
