Hidden Veggie Chicken Noodle Soup
There's nothing quite like a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup to soothe the soul and nourish the body. But what if I told you that you could take this beloved comfort food to the next level by adding a nutritious twist? Introducing Hidden Veggie and Chicken Noodle Soup—a delicious and nourishing recipe that combines the goodness of chicken, noodles, and a medley of hidden vegetables. This recipe is perfect for boosting kids' veggie intake and increasing their variety if they are struggling to meet their daily veggie intake. It's also a perfect winter warmer and helps to support the immune system as it's loaded with protein, fibre, B vitamins, vitamin C, amino acids, and more. It also contains powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients to soothe the gut. So, get ready to cosy up with your little ones and enjoy the heart-warming flavours of this nourishing and filling bowl of soup.
Hidden Veggie Chicken Noodle Soup
DIETARY: DF, EF, NF
ALLERGENS: Wheat
AGE GROUP: 8 months+
SERVES: 6
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 35 mins
EQUIPMENT: Stick-blender
INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp (20ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 brown onion (110g), peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk of celery (80g), rinsed and chopped
2 garlic cloves (20g), peeled and minced
1 large carrot (160g), peeled and chopped
1 small zucchini (160g), rinsed and chopped
1 potato (100g), peeled and diced
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of turmeric
8 cups (2L) water
180g wholegrain spaghetti, broken into quarters
250g shredded chicken
METHOD:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion, celery, garlic, carrot, zucchini, potato and seasonings and sauté for 3-4 mins or until softened.
Add water and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for 20 mins or until vegetables have softened.
Using a stick-blender, blend the vegetables until smooth.
Add spaghetti and shredded chicken and cook for another 8-10 mins or until pasta is al dente.
STORING LEFTOVERS:
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
TIPS:
Prep tips:
If you don’t have leftover shredded chicken, simply cook the chicken in the soup.
Allergies:
For a gluten-free version: Swap wholegrain spaghetti with gluten-free spaghetti.
Simple swaps:
Swap water for chicken or vegetable stock.
Swap vegetables for seasonal vegetables of choice.
Add seasonings of choice.
Swap spaghetti for brown rice.Additional boosters:
Boost by adding legumes to the soup.
For fussy eaters:
Make sure the vegetables are pureed very smoothly and cannot be detected anymore.
For babies:
Serve pureed or mashed and remove the salt.