minette's hearty chicken noodle soup

one of the best things about fall's arrival (southern california style, which is just another version of summer, really) at our house is that we can start having soup again. we love soups of all kinds-mostly simple vegetable ones, but by far our collective favorite is the chicken noodle soup-which is most often requested by my daughter with the stipulation that it MUST include lots of thick noodles. one of the biggest challenges for me is to prevent the stubborn oh-so-non-fattening noodles from getting in to my bowl, but somehow a few of them always tend to find their way in. the soup quietly spreads a lovely homey aroma through the kitchen while it simmers in a big pot loaded with lots of good chicken, herbs, and vegetables. when it's ready, we add a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice (like with most everything else we eat) right before digging in. ahhhhhhh. warms you inside and out.

ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1 onion, finely cubed

• 3 medium leeks, cut in half, thinly sliced and washed well

• 3-4 large organic celery stalks (cubed)

• 4-6 organic chicken breasts or thighs (or 10-12 organic chicken fillets)

• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

• sea salt & freshly ground pepper (to taste)

• a few sprigs of fresh thyme (leaves)

• a small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped (or whole, remove from pot before serving)

• 4-5 cups water (or good chicken broth for more flavor)

• egg noodles ( i use pappardelle noodles, broken up)-amount is variable-about 1/2-1 cup- you can substitute with gluten free noodles, or leave them out entirely by increasing the amount of leeks, celery, & carrots-making it a chicken vegetable soup!

• 1-2 fresh lemons

• 2 small carrots, cubed-(optional)

1. add leeks, celery, and onion to heated olive oil in a dutch oven or deep heavy pot-allow it to reduce on high while stirring frequently for 3-5 minutes. add chicken, sea salt, & pepper, and brown the while stirring. add the herbs.

2. when chicken is browned, add the water or broth (or combination of both) and bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow the soup to simmer on low for about an hour. break the cooked chicken up with a wooden spatula. add lemon juice (to your taste) and the noodles and allow them to cook for about 15 minutes or until cooked to desired texture. serve with fresh sprig of thyme or chopped parsley and a lemon wedge.