Cardinal Cookbook: Tommy Pempel’s chicken noodle soup
December 3, 2021
Cardinal Cookbook is a new Cardinal Times series that will share recipes that are special to Lincoln students. If you have a recipe you want featured, email [email protected], or the Cardinal Times at [email protected].
Sophomore Tommy Pempel has grown up eating chicken noodle soup. His favorite recipe has served many purposes for him and his family.
“I like how comforting it is. We usually make it if a family member is sick,” Pempel said. “ It’s just like a kind of universal comfort food.”
It is also one of the recipes that got him into cooking.
“When I was little, my mom would always be making [chicken noodle soup] in the kitchen,” Pempel said. “She would have me chop up carrots, celery and onions and teach me how to make it.”
Pempel was willing to share his family’s special chicken noodle soup recipe with the Lincoln community. Below is the recipe.
Makes about 6-8 bowls
Ingredients:
About 4 heads of celery
About 4 carrots
1 parsnip
1 turnip
1 onion
3-4 cartons of chicken stock
¼ cup parsley
2 tsp ginger
2 tsp lemongrass
3 chicken thighs
1 package of any type of noodles
1 tbsp dill
1 tbsp minced Scallions
Salt
Pepper
Special equipment:
Vegetable peeler
Chef’s knife
Stainless steel pan (optional)
Deep soup pot
Colander
- Roughly chop celery and carrots, and finely chop the parsnip and turnip. Place into a bowl.
- Separately chop an onion (rough as well) and set to the side.
- Heat about 2 tbsp of neutral tasting oil, such as olive oil, over medium-high heat until simmering, then add the onions. Sauté until softened/translucent.
- Add the rest of the chopped veggies and warm before adding chicken stock.
- Bring to a simmer over high heat.
- While the stock and veggies comes a simmer, add in chopped parsley, grated ginger and lemongrass.
- Once boiling, add in chicken thighs and take off any fat that rises to the surface as they cook.
- When the chicken is fully cooked (15-20 min), take the thighs out and shred them between two forks. Add the cooked shredded chicken back into the pot.
- In a medium pot, add a few ladles full of the soup along with the noodles. Season with salt and cook until the noodles are finished. Season with salt and pepper as necessary.
- Right at the end, add fresh chopped dill along with minced scallions. Cook for no more than 1 minute. Season with salt.
- Serve in a big bowl and enjoy!
