Soups, Salads, Dips & Savory Recipes — The Pot I Made When Jayden Had the Sniffles (and I Had the Nerves)

I applied for three jobs this week. Three. I sat on the couch after the kids went to bed and I sent my resume — my real resume, the one with the GPA and the clinical hours and the Dean's List — to three dental practices in Nashville. One in Green Hills, one in Brentwood, one in Donelson. I hit "send" each time and felt my heart accelerate, because sending a resume is an act of hope, and hope is the scariest thing I do.

The Green Hills practice is the one I want. It's called Harmony Dental, it's in a nice part of town, and the job listing says "new graduates welcome." NEW GRADUATES WELCOME. Those three words felt like they were written specifically for me, like someone put a light on in a window and said, "Come in, Sarah Mitchell. We've been waiting."

Tanisha applied to four practices. We're both terrified. We sit in the Waffle House and refresh our email every five minutes and pretend we're not refreshing our email every five minutes. Mr. Gerald noticed. He said, "What are you two looking at on those phones?" I said, "Our future." He said, "Well, I hope it tips better than me." Mr. Gerald, you have tipped me $3 a day for two and a half years. You have tipped me toward a degree. You have no idea.

Thanksgiving prep has started at Mama's. She's already made her shopping list (the list she'll argue with and then ignore). This year she said, "Sarah, you're making the dressing AND the dumplings." Both. She gave me both. Last year I earned the dressing. This year I earned the dumplings. Next year, if there is any justice, I'll earn the entire turkey and Lorraine Mitchell will sit in a chair and eat what I cook and that will be the day the Mitchell matriarchy officially transfers and Earline's ghost will weep with pride.

I made a big batch of chicken noodle soup this week because Jayden had the sniffles. Not the kind that requires a doctor — the kind that requires soup and a blanket and Mama's couch and Thomas the Train on repeat. He curled up under a fleece blanket and ate soup and watched trains and by Wednesday he was fine and by Thursday he was yelling WEE-OOO again, which is how I know he's recovered, because a healthy Jayden is a loud Jayden and a quiet Jayden is a sick Jayden. Volume is his vital sign.

Jayden’s sniffles called for exactly one thing — and it wasn’t a doctor’s visit. While I was hitting “send” on job applications and trying to slow my heartbeat down to something reasonable, I needed a recipe I could make on autopilot, something warm and steady that would take care of him while I was barely taking care of myself. This chicken noodle soup is the one I keep coming back to: simple enough to make on a nervous Tuesday night, hearty enough to have Jayden yelling WEE-OOO again by Thursday.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into coins
• 3 stalks celery, sliced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups egg noodles (or wide pasta noodles)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken. Place chicken breasts or thighs in a large pot and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15–18 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and set aside to cool slightly. Keep the broth in the pot.
2. Saute the vegetables. In a separate skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil or butter. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant. Transfer the vegetables to the pot with the broth.
3. Season the broth. Add the thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the broth and vegetables to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4. Shred the chicken. Using two forks, shred the cooled chicken into bite-sized pieces. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
5. Add the noodles. Stir in the egg noodles and cook according to package directions, typically 8–10 minutes, until tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
6. Taste and serve. Adjust salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley if desired. Serve with crusty bread or crackers.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 290 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 520mg