Creamy chicken noodle soup with bacon & crispy croutons

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings people

Appliance/Function:

Place 200 g bacon in a single layer in an unheated, large pot. Turn the heat on to medium-high then cook the bacon until golden on both sides. Remove bacon and set aside on paper towels to drain and cool. Once cooled, finely chop and set aside for garnish. Reserve the pot.

Pat 400 g chicken breast dry. Place your hand flat on the top of the chicken and slice through horizontally. Season with salt and pepper. Using the reserved pot, still hot, cook the chicken on medium-high heat in the leftover bacon fat for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and cooked through. Set aside on a plate. Once cool enough to handle, chop it into 1cm cubes. Reserve the pot.

Peel and finely dice ½ brown onion and 1 carrot. Peel and mince 2 cloves garlic. Thinly slice 2 stalks celery. In the reserved pot, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, celery, and 2 sprig fresh thyme. Cook for 5 minutes until the carrot is softened, stirring regularly (don’t let the onion brown). Add 4 tbsp flour and stir for 1 minute. While stirring, slowly pour in 3 cups milk. Once the flour is dissolved, add 2 cubes chicken stock, 1 cup of water and a pinch of salt, then stir.

Turn the heat up to high and bring to a simmer, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, break up 100 g angel hair pasta into short lengths. Finely chop 1 bunch fresh parsley.
Then turn the heat back up to high. Add the pasta and 1 cup frozen corn. Cook for 3 minutes or until pasta is soft. Then add 1 cup frozen peas and the chicken and resting juices and cook for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, put 2 slices bread in the toaster and cook to your liking, then slice into 1cm squares.

Ladle the creamy chicken noodle soup into bowls, and sprinkle with bacon, croutons and parsley.