Description

A hearty and comforting Chicken, Sweetcorn & Noodle Soup made from scratch using fresh vegetables, tender chicken, and vermicelli noodles. This homemade soup features a flavorful, rich chicken stock infused with aromatic herbs and vegetables, perfect for warming up on any day. It is easy to prepare, freezer-friendly, and can be quickly reheated for a satisfying meal anytime.

Ingredients

Scale

Stock Ingredients

2 onions, quartered
1 leek, cut into chunks
2 carrots, thickly sliced
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
parsley stalks from small bunch
4 celery sticks, roughly chopped
2 tbsp vegetable bouillon or 1 vegetable stock cube
1.3 kg whole chicken
About 3 litres cold water (for stock)

Soup Ingredients

2 large carrots, chopped
2 large leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
2 corn on the cobs, corn kernels cut off
200 g vermicelli noodles
small bunch parsley, finely chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

Make the Stock: Place the onions, leek chunks, sliced carrots, bay leaves, black peppercorns, parsley stalks, celery, vegetable bouillon or stock cube, and whole chicken in a very large saucepan. Cover with about 3 litres of cold water, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook gently for 1 to 1½ hours until the chicken is cooked through. Skim off any froth every 20 minutes to keep the stock clear.
Strain the Stock: Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve into a clean container, skimming off excess fat from the surface. Rinse out the saucepan and return the strained stock to it. Simmer on high heat until the stock reduces slightly to about 2 litres in volume.
Add Vegetables and Simmer: Add the chopped carrots and finely sliced leeks to the stock. Simmer for 10 minutes until tender.
Prepare the Chicken Meat: While the vegetables cook, shred the cooled chicken meat, discarding the skin and bones.
Finish the Soup: Add the shredded chicken and sweetcorn kernels to the pot. Add the vermicelli noodles unless you plan to freeze the soup (add noodles fresh when reheating if freezing). Simmer for a further 7 minutes until the corn and noodles are cooked through.
Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley. For freezing, allow the soup to cool completely before portioning into freezer bags or containers. To reheat, defrost overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature, then warm gently on the stove. If frozen without noodles, add the vermicelli and simmer until cooked just before serving.

Notes

Freezing tip: Freeze soup in small portions for faster thawing. Freeze chopped parsley separately and sprinkle into soup when serving.
Skimming the stock during cooking ensures a clearer broth.
Discard chicken skin and bones before shredding meat for a leaner soup.
If freezing soup, add vermicelli noodles only when reheating to prevent them from becoming mushy.
Simmer the stock uncovered during reduction to intensify flavor.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: British

Keywords: chicken soup, sweetcorn soup, noodle soup, homemade chicken broth, healthy soup, comforting soup, easy soup recipe, freezer-friendly soup