For the pasta, we opt for ditalini cooked in the broth, but feel free to use any small quick-cooking pasta you have. Dill lends bright, herbal flavor, but you could use fresh thyme, oregano, or a few bay leaves if you prefer. Vegetables require more consideration than just cooking to mush alongside the chicken, so we discard the ones that build the broth, then swap in a second round of celery and carrots that cook just until tender. (Want some extra guidance? Check out this step-by-step video.)īut it’s not only about the bird. The key is to treat the breasts and legs of a whole chicken differently: The breasts need to be pulled from the simmering broth early so they don’t dry out, whereas the legs require a little more time to become tender. This is the long game, and the results are worth it! The golden-hued soup is about as classic (and as comforting) as they come. There are tons of weeknight shortcuts that we could have snuck into a homemade chicken noodle soup recipe, but this time we’re not cutting corners.
