Ultimate Hearty Meat & Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup

Ultimate Hearty Meat & Vegetable Chicken Noodle Soup

(A rich, comforting soup with extra meats, more vegetables, and deep flavors)

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Ingredients

Meats:

• 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks (for extra flavor)
• ½ lb chicken sausage (sliced)
• 4 slices bacon (chopped)

Vegetables:

• 1 large onion (diced)
• 3 carrots (sliced)
• 3 stalks celery (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 medium potatoes (cubed)
• 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
• 1 cup kale or spinach (chopped)
• 1 cup corn kernels

Broth & Seasonings:

• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup white wine (optional, for depth)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Noodles & Thickener:

• 2 cups egg noodles (or whole wheat noodles)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour (to slightly thicken the broth)

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Instructions

1. Cook the Meats:

   • In a large pot, cook bacon until crispy, then remove and set aside.
   • Brown the chicken sausage in the bacon fat for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
   • Add chicken thighs/drumsticks and sear on both sides for 3 minutes. Remove from the pot.

2. Sauté the Vegetables:

   • In the same pot, add butter, onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.
   • Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
   • Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir, and cook for 1 minute.

3. Simmer the Soup:

   • Pour in white wine (if using) and scrape up the brown bits. Let it cook for 1 minute.
   • Add chicken broth, bay leaf, thyme, paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper.
   • Return the chicken thighs/drumsticks to the pot.
   • Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

4. Shred the Chicken:

   • Remove the chicken from the pot, discard the bones, and shred the meat.
   • Return the shredded chicken to the soup.

5. Add Noodles & Greens:

   • Stir in egg noodles, corn, and kale/spinach.
   • Cook for 8-10 minutes until noodles are tender.

6. Final Touches:

   • Add back the bacon and sausage.
   • Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
   • Remove the bay leaf and serve hot!

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Why This Version Stands Out?

✅ Extra meats (bacon + sausage) for rich flavor
✅ More vegetables (kale, mushrooms, potatoes, corn) for added texture & nutrition
✅ Deep broth (white wine + seared chicken + smoked paprika)

Would you like a spicy version or a creamy variation? 😊