At the extreme risk of sounding like a broken record, I made the best ever chicken noodle soup this week.  I’m not bragging, rather, I am trying to convince you to try this recipe at home.  I named it Twisted Chicken Soup because it is a twist on the traditional chicken noodle soup I usually make.

Plus, I love the way avocados turn bright green when hot soup is ladled over them.  In case you haven’t tried it, avocado is a terrific addition to most broth style soups.

I used a very fresh tasting Trader Joe’s free range chicken roast that I stripped of breasts and drumsticks for previous meals.  It was very meaty and delicious and just the back and thighs provided plenty of quality meat for the soup.  Sometimes the thigh and back meat can be too fatty but this was relatively lean.

The ingredients and my loosely devised recipe follows.  I used free range chicken and stock.  I prefer the brand Imagine stocks because they don’t use added flavor.  By the way, when you see the term natural flavor in the manufacturer’s list of ingredients, it isn’t natural at all.  The Food and Drug Administration has allowed the use of this misleading and confusing misnomer and it’s a shame.

SHIREE’S TWISTED CHICKEN SOUP

Trader Joe’s free range Chicken roast (I simply put the carcass containing the thigh and back meat in the pot of stock)
2- 32 oz. (64 oz total) cartons Imagine free range chicken stock
1- 32 oz. carton Imagine vegetable stock
8 – 10 oz. dried Rotelli pasta
1/2 onion chopped, red or yellow
3-5 garlic cloves chopped (I like my garlicky) 
1-2 carrots thinly sliced
2-3 stalks celery chopped
freshly ground sea salt and pepper
water to cover if needed


plenty of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sliced avocados ( I like to use 1/2 avocado per bowl but you can get back with 1/4)
fresh lime wedges


Chopped cilantro or flat leaf Italian parsley are optional in my recipe but  I didn’t add either of these this time.  I have also made a variation of this soup with rice and red cabbage instead of Rotelli pasta, which I deciphered from a soup I’ve ordered at the popular Northern California restaurant, El Jardin.

In a large stock pot over medium heat simmer chicken, stocks, onion, and garlic till meat is falling off the bone, about 30 minutes.  Add carrots and simmer another 10 minutes.  While simmering, remove chicken from bone and return to soup pot.  Add celery and pasta and cook another 10 minutes till pasta is al dente.  Season with sea salt and pepper.


Ladle into bowls over Parmesan cheese, avocado, and lime juice.  Enjoy!