We in the Upper Valley know how to deal with winter weather. Sure, you might complain about the cold or getting stuck in the snow, but you know that’s the price you pay to live in this beautiful area. Still, coping with bone-chilling temperatures can be discouraging when you’re feeling under the weather and in need of comfort.

This Asian Chicken Noodle Soup recipe can be your go-to meal for days you’re not feeling well, either in body or spirit. The inspiration for this dish came from two places. One was a terrific vegetable soup I often ordered from a favorite Chinese restaurant in Hillsborough years ago. The other was Nigella Lawson’s “Noodle Soup for Needy People” recipe from her book Nigella Express.

This soup is filled with healthful ingredients. Feel free to experiment with your favorite vegetables to make it fit your tastes. Plus, it’s great for using up leftover chicken. If you don’t have any, you can use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or poach 2 boneless chicken breasts in the chicken broth before making the rest of the soup. And you can use any type of noodle you like in place of the Ramen noodle packs.

Asian Chicken Noodle Soup provides comfort whether you’re not feeling your best or you’re just in need of a warm, soothing meal.

 

2 32-oz containers low-sodium chicken broth

2 carrots, sliced thickly

2 celery stocks, sliced

1/2 large onion, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp fresh minced ginger

4 Tbsp soy sauce

2 to 4 cups chopped bok choy, to taste

2 to 3 cups cooked chicken, diced

Salt and black pepper, to taste

2 to 4 packages Ramen noodles

1 can bean sprouts, drained

Snow peas

Red pepper flakes, to taste

Green onions, sliced, for garnish

 

1. Pour the chicken broth into a large pot. Bring to a boil and then add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Turn the heat to a simmer and cook until the carrots are tender about 20 minutes.

2. Remove the garlic from the pot and add the ginger, soy sauce, bok choy, and chicken to the pot. Continue to simmer until the bok choy is crisp-tender (or to your taste). Check the seasoning and add salt and black pepper to taste. (The soy sauce is salty, so you may not need additional salt.) Add the red pepper flakes to taste. (You can leave them out if you don’t like the heat.)

3. While the bok choy cooks, prepare the Ramen noodles according to the package directions, leaving out the flavoring packet. When cooked, divide the noodles between the serving bowls and add some snow peas and bean sprouts to each dish. Ladle the hot soup into each bowl over the noodles, peas, and sprouts. Garnish with green onions and serve.