Call me crazy but do you ever just lose your appetite for no apparent reason? Recently, my stomach has not been doing its part in letting me know when I should eat or what I am craving. It’s a strange feeling. Honestly, it’s quite unsettling because I’m usually the type of gal who will eat five times a day and will know exactly what she wants. So you can understand my recent frustration.
When an uninspired food spell hits, I normally turn to soup or a childhood favorite – this chicken macaroni soup is the product of both. When my mother used to stay home and pick us up after school, we would very often come home to a simplified version of this soup. She’d just have ginger, chicken, macaroni, and broth in hers, and it was absolutely delicious.
To me, ginger and chicken in soup always remind me of my mother. Both ingredients have a special way of warming the soul and curing any bellyaches that might appear out of nowhere. Mother always knows best.
So for the deluxe version, I added some vegetables because this is chicken noodle soup after all. Watercress because this was and is still often used in my family when making soup, and enoki mushrooms because they are so delicate in flavor and texture.
So go gather these ingredients for a very cozy night in.
Chicken Ginger Macaroni Soup
By W.
Serves 2
Split chicken breast w/ skin and bone, about 0.75 lbs
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lemongrass
Ginger, about 2 thumb sizes
4 cups chicken stock
1¼ cup uncooked macaroni
2 cups watercress
1 cup enoki mushrooms
1 scallion, chopped
Season raw chicken generously with salt and pepper all over. This can be done a few hours prior to cooking to enhance the flavor.
Heat a medium saucepan on medium high heat and drizzle with olive oil. Put chicken skin side down and sear for 2 minutes, or until skin in golden brown. Flip the meat over and sear the other side for 2 minutes. Add in ginger and lemongrass and lower heat to medium – sauté for 2 minutes.
Gently pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Quickly cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Let the chicken and the broth simmer for 30 minutes.
Once the 30 minutes is up, carefully remove the chicken breast from the soup and let it cool. Add macaroni to the soup and follow the cooking time. Once the macaroni is al dente, add watercress and enoki mushrooms and cook for one more minute before turning off the heat.
Test for final seasoning and ladle the macaroni soup into warm bowls. Slice the cooled chicken breast and set them on top of the soup. Garnish with chopped scallions. Enjoy with your favorite person.
