Peppery Chicken Noodle Soup
Savory broth, aromatic vegetables, moist chicken, long noodles, parmesan cheese, and plenty of black pepper. Imagine a marriage of cacio e pepe and chicken noodle soup. This is a fun twist on the classic.
How is this soup like cacio e pepe?
Cacio e pepe is a classic Italian pasta dish that translates to “cheese and pepper”. It’s often made with long noodles, parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano), the pasta cooking water, a little butter, and lots of toasted black pepper.
This dish delivers those same nuances, in soup form.
The noodles are scented with black pepper and parmesan, and simmered in an herbal broth with fresh vegetables and chicken. The commingling of flavors and textures is spot on.
I chose spaghetti for this soup but you can use any noodle you want. I think long strands of spaghetti, linguine, and angel hair work exceptionally well, but you can use smaller shapes like elbows, shells, orzo, and acini di pepe. Egg noodles work too.
I love the long strands of spaghetti in this soup. It’s so fun to eat, and you might actually want a fork and a spoon.
When it comes to the vegetables, I used both of fresh and frozen. This means you have endless options when to comes to veggies.
I prefer fresh parmesan in this soup because it adds great flavor. That said, if you have pre-grated parmesan cheese, that works too. Just don’t forget to serve extra at the table.
Peppery Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 4 ounces spaghetti, or pasta of choice
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, tenders, or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups chicken broth, or 4 cups water and bouillon cubes for 16 ounces of water
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, kept frozen until ready to use
- 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon butter
Equipment
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according the package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan or stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and carrots and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add the chicken and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until no longer pink. Add the Italian herb seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute, until the herbs and black pepper are fragrant.
- Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pasta, peas, parmesan cheese, and butter and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to heat through. Season to taste with salt and more black pepper.
- Serve with extra parmesan cheese on the side.