Feed-a-cold turkey (or chicken) noodle soup

Along with new family memories, stories, and a few extra pounds, I always seem to pick up a holiday cold on Thanksgiving weekend. It's a good thing that I'm in the habit of making stock from the turkey carcass (or any rotisserie chicken carcasses I've stashed in the freezer, or all of those carcasses together). With a rich stock, some vegetables (fresh or leftover), and the noodles I always keep in the pantry, I can make a pot of this feed-a-cold turkey noodle soup and get myself on the road to recovery.

Of course, the soup is pretty darned good even if you're healthy, so don't let that stop you from making it. And if you're lucky enough to have any leftover stuffing muffins, toss those in, too.

To make turkey broth from scratch, follow the general stock-making guidelines here.

Feed-a-cold turkey (or chicken) noodle soup

From the pantry, you'll need: chicken broth, thin egg noodles, parsley, kosher salt, fresh black pepper.

Serves 4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

2 qts homemade turkey or chicken broth*
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 cups shredded cooked leftover turkey or chicken (rotisserie chicken, poached or baked chicken breast)
2 cups thin egg noodles (I love chayrere from my Middle Eastern market), 2 inches or so in length
1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. [*Note: this soup is best made with homemade turkey or chicken broth for maximum curative powers -- and flavor. You can substitute store-bought low-sodium chicken stock in an emergency.]

Toss in the celery, carrots, scallions, turkey/chicken and egg noodles. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the noodles are pliable.

Then, add the parsley, salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature, pack into containers with airtight covers, and refrigerate or freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More turkey and chicken soups to cure the common cold:
Turkey soup with black beans, corn, and green chiles, from The Perfect Pantry
Butternut squash, peanut and chipotle soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Turkey soup with lemon and barley, from Simply Recipes
Slow cooker turkey (or chicken) soup with kale and sweet potatoes, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Slow cooker Moroccan chickpea and turkey stew, from Skinnytaste

Feed-a-cold turkey (or chicken) noodle soup

From the pantry, you'll need: chicken broth, thin egg noodles, parsley, kosher salt, fresh black pepper.

Serves 4; can be multiplied.

Ingredients

2 qts homemade turkey or chicken broth*
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 carrots, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
2 cups shredded cooked leftover turkey or chicken (rotisserie chicken, poached or baked chicken breast)
2 cups thin egg noodles (I love chayrere from my Middle Eastern market), 2 inches or so in length
1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven or heavy stock pot, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. [*Note: this soup is best made with homemade turkey or chicken broth for maximum curative powers -- and flavor. You can substitute store-bought low-sodium chicken stock in an emergency.]

Toss in the celery, carrots, scallions, turkey/chicken and egg noodles. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the noodles are pliable.

Then, add the parsley, salt and pepper. Taste, and adjust with more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature, pack into containers with airtight covers, and refrigerate or freeze.

[Printer-friendly recipe.]

More turkey and chicken soups to cure the common cold:
Turkey soup with black beans, corn, and green chiles, from The Perfect Pantry
Butternut squash, peanut and chipotle soup, from The Perfect Pantry
Turkey soup with lemon and barley, from Simply Recipes
Slow cooker turkey (or chicken) soup with kale and sweet potatoes, from Kalyn's Kitchen
Slow cooker Moroccan chickpea and turkey stew, from Skinnytaste

Comments

Sorry you got a cold. :( If you want to make more soup you could contact Mike Dukakis - people are dropping off turkey carcasses to his house since his interview in the Globe about what a waste it is to throw the carcasses away and that he'll take them to make more soup!!

Janice, I've been reading about the famous Mike Dukakis turkey stock in the newspaper. I'll bet it's delicious!

Bump up the cold cure aspect with chiles!

Susan, you know I'd love that!