Chicken Shell Soup

First off the bat, no, this recipe is not trying to reignite the chicken or the egg debate, it just shows my pasta of choice in its name! It's just started snowing again here in Saskatchewan - a month after our first snowfall! - and so naturally my favorite fall soup came to mind! I wasn't feeling the version with rice I often make though, so this is my attempt at a chicken noodle soup. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Chicken Shell Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 tablespoon of butter

1 large onion (diced)

3 medium carrots (sliced)

3 ribs of celery (chopped)

12 cloves of garlic (crushed or minced)

Parsley (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Powdered ginger (to taste)

4 chicken thighs or breasts* (cubed)

10 cups of water

1 cup of peas

Bouillon (to taste)

2 bay leaves

Salt (to taste)

1 cup of medium shell pasta

*I love the texture and flavor of the thigh meat myself, but to each their own!

Directions

1) Melt the butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat and then sauté the onion, carrot, and celery until the onion is translucent.

2) Add the garlic and sauté a couple of minutes before adding the seasonings and sauté for another minute.

3) Stir in the chicken and cook until white, then add the water, peas, and your favorite bouillon along with the bay leaves, bring to a boil, and then simmer for at least 15 minutes. (It's good to let all those flavors begin to get comfortable with one another! That's why the best day to have soup is every day between the day it's made and the day it's finished off!)

4) Check and adjust the seasonings as necessary (add more salt at this point if you're not satisfied with the salt your bouillon is bringing to the table - or the pot rather!), then return the pot to a boil, stir in the shell pasta, and cook to your desired tenderness. (I prefer al dente, especially as the leftover soup will continue soaking the shells in the fridge later.)

5) Remove the pot from the heat and serve the soup as is or with a dollop of sour cream, saltines, a bit of baguette - whatever you prefer! - and enjoy!