Chicken and Vegetable Noodle Broth

Chicken and vegetable noodle broth brings tender chicken, colourful vegetables and soft noodles together in a light, savoury bowl. Ginger and garlic give the stock warmth, while a squeeze of lemon at the end keeps the flavour fresh. It is a satisfying supper when you want something you can eat with a spoon, with a fork nearby for the noodles.

This recipe starts with raw chicken thighs and a carton or jug of stock, so there is no need to make a separate stock first. The vegetables cook in the same pan as the chicken. The noodles have their own saucepan, which helps them keep their texture and makes it easier to save some broth for another meal.

Chicken and Vegetable Noodle Broth

Serves: 4. Preparation: about 15 minutes. Cooking: about 30 minutes. Have a large saucepan with a lid, a smaller saucepan, a sieve and two forks ready before you begin.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into thin half-moons
• 2 celery sticks, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 20g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 500g boneless, skinless chicken thighs, opened out
• 1.5 litres reduced-salt chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 150g dried medium egg noodles
• 150g frozen peas
• 100g baby spinach, washed
• 1 tablespoon reduced-salt soy sauce, plus more to taste if needed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus lemon wedges to serve
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• A small handful of flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, optional

Method

1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in the large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the onion is soft. Lower the heat if the vegetables begin to catch.
2. Add the garlic and ginger. Stir them into the vegetables and cook for another minute, stirring so the garlic does not burn. The ginger should smell fragrant before you add the stock.
3. Cook the chicken. Place the chicken thighs in the pan, pour in the stock and add the bay leaf. Bring just to the boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Partly cover and cook for about 18–22 minutes, turning the thighs halfway through. Check the thickest part of the chicken to make sure it is cooked through, with no pink flesh, and continue cooking if necessary.
4. Prepare the noodles. While the chicken cooks, boil water in the smaller saucepan. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions until just tender. Drain and divide between four warmed bowls if you are serving the whole recipe immediately.
5. Shred the chicken. Lift the cooked thighs onto a clean plate. Use two forks to pull them into bite-sized pieces, removing any tough bits. Take the bay leaf out of the broth and discard it.
6. Add the remaining vegetables. Stir the peas into the broth and simmer for about 3 minutes, until hot and tender. Return the shredded chicken, then add the spinach and stir until wilted. Add the soy sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Taste before adding any more seasoning.
7. Serve. Ladle the hot chicken, vegetables and broth over the noodles. Scatter with spring onions and parsley, if using. Put the lemon wedges on the table so everyone can adjust their own bowl.

Keep the broth gently simmering

Small bubbles rising steadily around the edges of the pan are enough to cook the chicken. A vigorous boil can make the meat firmer and break up the vegetables. Leave the lid slightly ajar so you can keep an eye on the liquid and adjust the heat easily.

Cutting the carrots and celery fairly thinly helps them soften evenly. It also gives you pieces that fit comfortably on a spoon. If you prefer chunkier vegetables, allow them a little longer in the pan before adding the chicken, and check that the carrots are tender before serving.

Chicken thighs pull apart readily after poaching and stay pleasantly juicy. You can use the same weight of chicken breast instead, but start checking it earlier. Lift it out as soon as it is cooked through, shred it, then return it briefly at the end to heat through.

Balance the final spoonful

The stock does much of the seasoning here, and its saltiness will vary. Add the measured soy sauce near the end and taste the broth with a piece of chicken. That gives you a better sense of the finished bowl than tasting the liquid alone.

Lemon provides brightness without needing a heavier sauce. Stir in the tablespoon first, then offer extra wedges rather than making the whole pan sharply acidic. Fresh spring onions give a little crunch against the soft noodles; parsley adds a gentle herbal finish if you have some available.

Easy variations

• Different greens: replace the spinach with finely shredded spring greens. Add them with the peas and simmer until tender, allowing extra time if needed.
• Rice noodles: substitute 150g dried rice noodles, preparing them according to their packet instructions. Keep them separate from the broth until serving.
• Mushroom addition: cook 150g sliced mushrooms with the onion, carrots and celery. Let their released moisture cook away before adding the garlic and ginger.
• A little chilli: offer thinly sliced fresh chilli at the table so people can choose how much warmth they want.

Serving and storing

Choose deep bowls with room for both noodles and broth, and loosen the strands gently before eating. For a larger meal, serve bread alongside. You can also adjust the distribution at the table, offering more vegetables or a smaller helping of noodles according to appetite.

If you are saving portions, keep the cooked noodles separate so they do not absorb the liquid. Divide leftovers into shallow containers, cool promptly and refrigerate within two hours. Eat within two days. Reheat only the portion you need until the chicken, vegetables and broth are steaming hot throughout, stirring to heat everything evenly. Reheat each portion only once.

For freezing, reserve chicken and vegetable broth without noodles, cool promptly and transfer to freezer containers with space for expansion. Defrost in the fridge before reheating thoroughly. Cook fresh noodles when you serve it, and add a splash of water if the broth has reduced. Finish with fresh lemon and spring onions to bring back that bright flavour.