Description
This creamy chicken noodle soup with mini croutons is a hearty and comforting meal perfect for any day. Tender chicken breast cooked in bacon fat adds rich flavor to a luscious broth filled with vegetables and angel hair pasta. Topped with crispy bacon bits and homemade crunchy mini croutons, this soup offers a delightful blend of textures and flavors that is sure to satisfy the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 400g/10oz chicken breast (2 small, cut in half horizontally to form 2 thin steaks; can substitute boneless thighs)
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper
Bacon and Croutons
- 4 strips streaky bacon (enough to cover base of pot)
- 1 cup crustless bread, cut into 7mm / 1/4″ cubes (sourdough or regular sandwich bread)
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Pinch cooking salt or kosher salt
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 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 pieces)
- 1 carrot, chopped (0.5 x 1 cm pieces)
- 3/4 cup corn kernels (frozen thawed or canned drained)
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 tsp finely chopped parsley (optional)
Soup Base
- 30g/2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 tbsp flour
- 3 cups milk (full fat preferred, low fat or non-dairy also okay)
- 2 cups low sodium chicken stock or broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cooking salt
Pasta
- 1 1/3 cups (100g) broken angel hair pasta (or angel hair/spaghetti broken into 6 pieces, or other small spoon-able pasta)
Instructions
- Prepare Croutons & Bacon: Preheat the oven to 180°C/345°F (160°C fan-forced). Toss bread cubes with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread on a baking tray and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing halfway through, until golden and crisp. Cool and set aside. Place bacon strips in a cold large pot in a single layer, then heat over medium-high. Cook bacon until golden and crispy on both sides (~2-3 minutes first side, 1.5 minutes second side). Remove bacon to drain on paper towels, then finely chop for garnish. Leave the bacon fat in the pot.
- Season Chicken: Sprinkle salt and black pepper evenly over both sides of the chicken breasts.
- Cook Chicken: In the same pot with bacon fat, cook chicken over medium-high heat for 1.5 minutes per side until light golden and cooked through. Remove chicken to a plate, allow to cool, then chop into small 8mm (1/3 inch) cubes.
- Make Soup Base: Lower heat to medium-high. Add butter to the pot and melt. Add diced onion, minced garlic, chopped celery, carrot, and thyme sprigs if using. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the carrot softens, stirring frequently and avoiding browning the onion. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux.
- Add Liquids: While stirring, slowly pour in the milk until the flour fully dissolves. Then add chicken stock, water, and 1 tsp salt. Stir to combine.
- Simmer: Turn heat to high and bring the mixture to a simmer. Then reduce heat to low and gently simmer the soup for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup will seem thin but will thicken as the pasta cooks.
- Cook Pasta and Add Vegetables: Increase heat to high again. Add the broken angel hair pasta and corn kernels. Cook for about 5 minutes or until pasta is tender. In the last 2 minutes, stir in frozen peas and the chopped chicken along with any juices from the plate.
- Serve: Ladle the hot soup into bowls. Sprinkle with the chopped crispy bacon, homemade mini croutons, and a pinch of parsley if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- For a richer soup, use full-fat milk but low-fat or non-dairy milk alternatives are acceptable.
- Bacon fat adds great flavor; do not discard after cooking bacon.
- Angel hair pasta cooks quickly and gives a delicate texture; other small pasta shapes can be used for spoonability.
- If you prefer, boneless chicken thighs can be substituted for breast for more moisture.
- Croutons can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
- Adjust salt to taste, especially if your broth or bacon is salty.
