October Secret Recipe Club...Lemony Chicken Noodle Soup from A Fit and Spicy Life

Where has the year gone to? I just flipped the calendar, and it's hard to believe that it's already October! That means it's finally almost time for "soup weather to arrive back in Texas. I love making a big pot of soup for dinner on chilly evenings, so I'm always on the lookout for great soup recipes. Lucky for me, my assigned blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club offered up plenty of great soup options. Mellissa from A Fit and Spicy Life lives in Minnesota -- where Winters are much colder than the ones we experience here in Texas. She has an amazing collection of healthy and flavorful soups, and I knew I had found a winner when I saw her Chicken Orzo Soup.

I loved her addition of lemon and orzo, making this soup reminiscent of tangy Greek agvolemono soup. I had to make a few adjustments to her recipe based on ingredients  that I had on hand in my kitchen. Due to some car issues, I wasn't able to get to the grocery store to buy orzo...so I had to improvise a bit to use what I already had on hand. That means I had to use egg noodles instead of orzo. I also subbed a combination of yellow onion and garlic for leeks, used chicken breast instead of thighs, and added a bit of corn that was in my freezer. Luckily, I already had dill and lemons in the kitchen -- which are the essential ingredients that give this soup its unique flavor. 

Lemony Chicken Noodle Soup

adapted from A Fit and Spicy Life

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size cubes
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces no boil egg noodles
• 1 tbsp dill
• 2 bay leaves
• A few dashes hot sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:
Step 1: Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies have softened a bit -- about 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Step 2: Add the diced chicken breast to the Dutch oven. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides. Add the chicken broth, corn, and bay leaves. Bring the soup to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes. 

Step 3: Add the egg noodles and cook until tender -- about 10 minutes. Just before serving, add the dill, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine and ladle the soup into serving bowls.

This soup is so good...a comforting and filling complete meal in a bowl. The lemon juice and dill brought a unique flavor profile that elevated this soup above the usual chicken and noodle. I especially enjoyed the tart flavor that the lemon provided, and the addition of corn worked nicely with the carrots and celery. I can't wait to make this flavorful soup again during the upcoming cold-weather season!

Be sure to check out all of the great recipes that today's Secret Recipe Club participants are sharing -- you're sure to find something great to add to your upcoming menus! 

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