Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

When you really need a good bowl of chicken noodle soup you probably don't have time to make it from scratch. But it is almost impossible to find a decent canned chicken soup. Well I've got a chicken noodle soup recipe for you that will hit the spot without taking all day to cook.



Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dried pasta
salt & pepper for seasoning

Heat olive oil in large pot. Add onion and cook until tender. Add thyme and cook 1 minute. Add carrots and celery and cook until tender. Add chicken and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then add pasta. Let the soup come back to a boil, then turn down heat to let it simmer for 20 minutes or until pasta is cooked. Season with salt & pepper. Serve with bread.

Dish(es) of the Week: Black Bean Corn Salad & Cilantro Lime Chicken

I debated which dish to post this week & then realized they are just best together. This makes for a simple, healthy summer meal.



Black Bean Corn Salad

4 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
1 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tomato diced, or 1 cup cherry tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 can corn kernels, drained,
salt & pepper to taste
1/2 avocado (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lime juice. Add the rest of the ingredients and toss gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with extra cilantro or sliced avocado. Serve with grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken!




Cilantro Lime Chicken

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lime
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 lb chicken (I used boneless skinless thighs)

Remove zest from lime and set aside. You will need the juice from the lime as well. In a resealable bag, mix the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice. garlic, salt and cilantro. Add the chicken, seal bag. Squish the chicken around in the marinade until it well coated. Marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator. Cook on a hot grill about 5 minutes each side. Garnish with cilantro!

Dish of the Week: Arroz con Pollo

It was 5:30 on Friday and I suddenly realized I hadn't started dinner and I didn't even have a dish planned. But I knew I had some chicken thighs in the refrigerator, so the options were endless. I decided to throw together a sort of Arroz con Pollo based loosely on a Dream Dinners entree we had once and a recipe on the back of a placemat we got at a kids' health event. I thought for sure I'd be serving chicken a la crapola, but it turned out to be delicious!!

Arroz con Pollo

1 bag "boil in a bag" brown rice
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1/2 tsp cumin
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (you could also use breasts)
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic salt
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Grease a large casserole dish with cooking spray. Empty bag of rice into bottom of dish. Then layer with black beans & corn. Sprinkle cumin on top. Top bean & corn mixture with chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, mix tomatoes, marinara, garlic, oregano, garlic salt and a little more black pepper. Poor mixture over chicken. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven & sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Top with sour cream.