Sometimes, the most entertaining recipes are the most clever — those easy to prepare operations that seem more difficult and fancier than they really are.
This recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup with Stir Fry Veggies Exotic Asian Chicken Vegetable Soup fits the mold perfectly. It’s as easy as any soup recipe, but throwing in an unusual ingredient challenges expectations, making it (and the diner) seem special.
It’s even easier to make in the U.S. than in the UK because of one tricky quirk. In the U.S., it’s easy to find canned or jarred, pre-cooked broth. I couldn’t find it in a store in London, so I don’t know if it’s a product there. I had to go from scratch.
Related: Omaha Steaks Come through with Recipes
So, in the U.S., you can use a few cans of broth. In the UK, you’ll need bullion cubes (six pack). Beyond that, the recipe is the same. You’ll need one of those precooked roast chickens from any grocery store, noodles of choice, a bag of frozen stir fry veggies, a bag of frozen carrots and your spices.
First, clean the chicken carcass and put the meat aside for later.
For canned broth users, simply pour into a pot and bring to a boil.
For bullion users, you’ll make a pot of broth big enough to take the whole pack of bullion. Just use 3/4s as much water as the recipe says to make it a little richer. Once you’ve got the water boiling and the cubes dissolved, put the carcass in the pot and simmer the whole mess low and slow for about a half hour. Then pull out the carcass.
Add the chicken. Then, spice the broth to taste. That’s on you, but I would recommend simply seasoning the soup as you would any chicken you’re enjoying.
Increase the heat and get it boiling a little again. Add the frozen stir fry vegetables. That’ll take the boil down. As soon as the boil comes up again, add the carrots. Reduce heat. Simmer low and slow again for maybe 15-20 minutes.
