Easy Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

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Thank you to everyone for the kind words about my new job! I’m so excited for this next big chapter, and every time I talk with my new boss (who is awesome), I get even more excited. I’ve loved spending these past three years doing what I love, but if I’m going to be honest with you guys, I have to admit something.

Easy roasted chicken noodle soup

I don’t get the same love from cooking that I used to. In fact, I rarely want to do anything in the kitchen when I’m “off the clock” from my blog and freelance obligations. When I first started freelancing, I was in heaven. I had all of these amazing ideas, I was pumping out recipe after recipe and I couldn’t wait to wake up the next morning and do the same thing. My feelings now are vastly different. Now I can’t wait until I’m done cooking. My creativity when it comes to recipe development has disappeared and I feel like I can’t string a sentence together to save my life.

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And I know exactly why this happened. It’s not because food isn’t still the love of my life, because it very much is, it’s because sometimes when you depend on something for your living, to pay your bills, you start to lose the passion. It also doesn’t help that the amount I’ve been making has dwindled from the very beginning (by a hefty chunk) so even paying for the recipes I do have to make has become a challenge. Even in those rare moments now that I get a new and exciting recipe idea, I quickly realize that I can’t buy the ingredients I need because I’m completely budgeted out for the recipes I’m getting paid to write.

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Total buzz kill, I know, but I have to sit here and be honest about things. Being a freelancer and owning your own business isn’t easy, despite what the blog world may make it seem. And you know what? Sometimes people fail, and although I didn’t completely fail in the total sense of the word (I’m still financially afloat and make enough to get by), but I failed because I stopped loving what I did. And I want to love to cook again and I think starting this new job will do that.

noodles and soup

I won’t have to rely on food to pay my bills anyway. Every recipe I make will be made from the heart and I won’t have to worry about how much traffic it’ll get, if it’ll go viral and all of that BS that comes behind the scenes. Instead, I can go back to cooking things I want to cook and buying ingredients I couldn’t afford to before. Not only that, I’ll have the extra income to really invest more in my craft, which means new camera equipment, new photo props and boards and amazing lenses.

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But don’t worry, I won’t be going anywhere. I still have a few recipes I made just for you guys, ones that brought a little spark back to my heart, recipes like this easy roasted chicken noodle soup, which is completely inspired by my friend Ashley and this old-school chicken noodle soup recipe. You really can’t get much better than this!

Easy Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup

Fresh chicken soup

CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!

Serves about 8 – 10.
Prep time: 40 – 50 minutes
Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients: 

For the roast chicken: 

  • 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds), defrosted
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • 1 bunch of fresh herbs, like thyme and rosemary
  • 2 tablespoons butter, unsalted and melted
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, cut in quarters
  • 4 carrots, cut into quarters
  • 2 stalks celery, cut into fourths
  • Salt and pepper

For the soup: 

  • 3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup of fresh herbs (like parsley, rosemary, thyme & dill)
  • 2 cups cooked egg noodles

Directions: 

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Remove the giblets from the inside of the chicken and discard.
  2. Rinse the chicken thoroughly inside and out. Pat dry. In the cavity where the giblets were held, add 1 lemon half, two quarters of the onion, 2 quarters of carrots and 2 fourths of the celery. Stuff in an assortment of the fresh herbs and add salt and pepper. Using kitchen twine, tie the legs together and carefully tuck the wings to the body of the chicken.
  3. Rub the melted butter all over the skin of the chicken. Liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the chicken into a roasting pan. Add remaining vegetables and herbs around the chicken and drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Roast for about 1 1/2 hours or until the juices run clear. Remove from the oven and let rest for about 20 – 25 minutes.
  5. Once rested, slice the chicken and then shred the meat with two forks. Save the drumsticks and wings for later, but use all of the shredded meat for the soup.
  6. To make the soup, bring the chicken broth and water to a boil. Toss in the chopped carrots, mushrooms, celery, onion and a bunch of fresh herbs. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes. Toss in chicken and noodles and simmer another 3 minutes.
  7. Remove from heat and serve with additional herbs for garnish.

Nutritional information per serving (about 1 cup):

Calories: 275
Fat: 7.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 8.2 grams
Fiber: 3.4 grams
Protein: 22 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 5

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Comments

  1. Posted by Kathryn on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    Belated congrats on the new job; it sounds perfect for you! I can well understand how being a full time blogger/freelancer can be so tough and I'm sure I'd find myself, like you, totally falling out of love with it. Here's to a great new chapter in your life!
  2. Posted by Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    The soup looks fantastic and so comforting and I'm excited for your new adventure!
  3. Posted by Cookin Canuck on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    There's something to be said for cooking from the heart, and not having to rely solely on recipe development to pay the bills. Congratulations on your new job! This soup looks very soul-satisfying.
  4. Posted by foodwanderings on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    Congrats on the new job & you are right here in DC too. :) Great chicken soup. I love the roasted chicken version!
  5. Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    Congrats on the new job even though I'm late to the game! Love the soup. Chicken noodle is my favorite.
  6. Posted by Nutmeg Nanny on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    This soup is so homey and delicious!
  7. Posted by Heather / girlichef on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    I like your attitude, and the way you're starting fresh to go back to what made you love doing this in the first place. AND admire you for it. This soup sounds delicious, and looks amazing!
  8. Posted by Melanie on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    This soup looks like perfection. And congrats on your new job. How exciting!
  9. Posted by Angie on
    Wednesday, November 12th, 2014
    It's easy to get burnt out on freelancing. I'm at that point right now. I'm so glad you found a great job that will restore your passion in your blog. If this yummy chicken noodle soup recipe is a sign of things to come, then I'm excited for the future!
  10. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    I'm really glad you said all of this. I also do some freelance writing and recipe development for a magazine and really, it does become a bit of a beast. I do my cooking on Saturdays and now cannot wait until the last photo is taken so I can just relax. I'm really happy that you've found something invigorating again! And also, this soup is so perfect for the season. I cannot wait to have a big bowl!
  11. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    I'm so excited for your new journey, girl! And I know you'll be inspired in the kitchen soon enough :) This soup looks amazing! xo
  12. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    I love your transparency in this post. I am just starting off in the blog world and I think I have the same frustrations as anyone who is starting off. You try to not compare apples to oranges but in the end there is a real difference in 500 views of a recipe and 20,000 views of a recipe. At the end of the day I think all food bloggers strive to do (in my opinion) is make food that people will love. I come and go from my blog because I lose that spark that you're talking about. Congrats on gaining that spark back, and just know that even if you feel the way you do there are so many people who you inspire and give spark to on a daily basis. You are one of the main reasons I started a blog because I have followed yours for years. I can't wait to hear about your new job and I wish you the best of success and happiness in everything you do!
  13. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    Good for you! I'm sure your next venture will be amazingly exciting :) This soup sounds too perfect right now!
  14. Posted by christne on
    Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    There's just something ever so comforting about chicken soup. I love the addition of mushrooms.
  15. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    Congrats on the new job!!! This looks like the ultimate bowl of comfort!
  16. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    Congrats again on the new job! This soup looks perfect for dinner after a long day!
  17. Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    Congratulations on the new job! I know what you mean about the money sucking the fun out of things. Hope you get your "spark" for cooking back! <3
  18. Posted by Ginny McMeans on
    Thursday, November 13th, 2014
    So glad for you and your new job. You will shine as you do as a food blogger. This soup looks luscious.
  19. Posted by Kim Beaulieu on
    Friday, November 14th, 2014
    My hubby loves chicken noodle soup. This is a must try. Plus it's just super pretty.
  20. Saturday, November 15th, 2014
    Congratulations on your new job. And I have to admit, I totally have been where you are. I am just getting back to where I am cooking from the heart again -- after feeling a little lost. As for this soup? It looks delish!
  21. Posted by Kathy on
    Saturday, November 22nd, 2014
    Again, congrats on the new job. I am v new to blogging (just 2 mnths in) and appreciate the frank comments too, as well as the recipe! Great blog, I hope you manage to find your inspiration again :)