For the BOWL
UDON NOODLE SOUP (ABOVE) Prep 20 min. | Total 35 min. Serves 4
This noodle soup is pure comfort on a wintry day. Add kale, mushrooms and kimchi for a healthy boost and the perfect hint of spice 460-g pkg frozen udon noodles 8 cups no-salt chicken broth 8 large shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
3 tbsp sodium-reduced soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
4 small kale leaves, left whole 3-inch piece Japanese fish cake, thinly sliced (optional) 3 green onion, thinly sliced 1 sheet of nori, cut into 12 pieces kimchee, (optional) bonito flakes, (optional) 4 6-minute cooked eggs,
(see Kitchen Tip)
1. Rinse noodles in cold water to thaw. Drain and divide among bowls.
2. Boil broth, mushrooms, chicken, soy and mirin in a large pot over medium-high. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is no longer pink,
5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken to cutting board and add kale to broth. Cook until kale is softened, about 3 minutes.
3. Cut chicken into thin slices. Transfer to plate and cover to keep warm.
4. Divide broth among bowls. Add chicken, fish cake, green onions, nori, kimchee and bonito. Peel and halve eggs and add to bowls.
Kitchen Tip No. 1: Cover eggs with cold water in a saucepan and set over high. Boil, then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 6 minutes. Immediately drain and rinse with cold running water to cool eggs completely. Peel eggs, then cut each in half lengthwise.
Kitchen Tip No. 2: Kamaboko is a Japanese fish cake often added to soups to add flavour and a hit of colour.
MATZO BALL SOUP Prep 15 min. | Total 45 min. Serves 4
Pull up your sleeves, and get hands-on with dinner tonight! Rolled matzo balls are the star of this chicken and dumpling soup, bringing cozy comfort to your mid-week meal. 3 eggs
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp canola oil
3/4 cup sodium-free matzo meal
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt fresh pepper
2 carrots
2 parsnips
2 celery stalks
2 900-mL cartons no-salt chicken broth
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast
1. Whisk eggs with water and canola oil in a large bowl. Stir in sodium-free matzo meal, 1 tbsp fresh dill, baking powder and
1/2 tsp salt. Season with fresh pepper. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
2. Chop carrots, parsnips and celery stalks into 1/4-inch pieces. Add to a large pot.
Add no-salt chicken broth and 1/2 tsp salt. Set over high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, covered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from broth using a slotted spoon and reserve.
3. Chop chicken breast into 1-inch pieces. With wet hands, roll heaping tablespoons of matzo mixture into balls. There should be at least 8. Drop matzo balls, then chicken into broth. Simmer, covered, until matzo balls and chicken are cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Return vegetables to broth. Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh dill.
SPICY MEXICAN CHICKEN SOUP
Prep 10 min. | Total 25 min.
Serves 4
This Mexican chicken soup has a little kick of spice to help you warm up on chilly evenings.
1 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp chili powder
900-mL carton no-salt chicken broth
1/4 tsp salt
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
2 cups canned tomatillos, chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels
2 to 3 tbsp pickled jalapenos, finely diced
1 avocado, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium-high. Add onion and garlic cloves. Cook until onion softens, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and chili powder. Cook 1 minute. Pour in no-salt chicken broth and salt. Add chicken breasts. Boil, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool slightly.
2. Add canned tomatoes, frozen corn and jalapenos to soup. Reduce heat to medium. Gently boil 5 minutes. Using 2 forks, shred chicken, then stir into soup. Ladle into 4 bowls and top with avocado and cilantro.
CHICKEN MISO NOODLE SOUP
Prep 15 min. | Total 25 min.
Serves 6
This Japanese-inspired recipe is full of noodles — a must-have for cozy chicken soup.
500 g ground chicken
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup miso paste, preferably white
2 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated 1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 200-g pkgs udon noodles
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1. Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a pot over medium-high. Stir chicken with carrot, 1 tbsp miso paste, ginger, garlic powder and cornstarch until combined.
Roll into 3 logs about 1-inch thick. Cut into 1-inch pieces.
Pat each piece into meatball shape, then drop into boiling water. Add udon. Reduce heat to gentle boil and cook until meatballs are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
2. Place remaining miso in a small bowl and whisk in a ladleful of boiling soup. Remove pot from heat and stir in miso mixture and cilantro.
Shopping Tip: Udon are thick white noodles made from wheat flour that are used in Japanese cooking. Look for them in the Asian section of the supermarket. Alternatively, use 200 g medium rice noodles; soak them in hot water for 5 minutes before adding to the soup.
Prep Tip: We rolled the meatball mixture into a log and cut it instead of just rolling into balls, because we found this method was much faster.