Spring Chicken Noodle Soup

Here's a soup that makes me think of spring ... and hope it will arrive soon! Even here in sunny Sacramento, springtime seems to waver as it appears and disappears, lost and found. This chicken soup has spring asparagus and spring onions or green onions, as well as noodles and a warming, herbal broth. It warms me up on these cold nights, and lends it's positively springtime flavors to the coming season. While it may remind me of the coming spring, we can and do enjoy it in any season!

Ingredients:

1 quart low sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
4 ounces egg noodles
1 tsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
2 celery ribs, sliced on the diagonal
1/2 cup white wine
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths
1/2 tsp. sea salt (if needed)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Directions:

Heat the chicken stock and water over medium high heat until simmering. Add the egg noodles and cook according to package directions. While the egg noodles cook, heat the olive oil in a non stick skillet. Add chicken, herbs, and celery and cook several minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Add the white wine to deglaze the pan. Add the green onions and asparagus and cook for 1 more minutes, until the asparagus turns bright green. Test the egg noodles to make sure they are done, then add the chicken and vegetable mixture. Taste, then correct the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Adding lots of herbs to this soup makes it taste delicious ... and will likely decrease your need for additional salt. Lowering your salt/sodium intake is still healthy!