Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This is yummy comfort food.  Rich and savory, perfect with a nice piece of crunchy french bread for soaking up the last bits in the bowl.

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts bone-in skin on
• 2 T. olive oil
• ½ T. kosher salt
• 1 t. black pepper
• 1 C. onions, finely chopped
• 1 C. carrots, chopped
• 1 C. celery, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 qts. (8 C.) chicken stock
• ½ T.  kosher salt
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning
• 1 t. garlic salt
• ¼ t. cayenne pepper
• ½ lb. of wide egg noodles
• 1 and ½ sticks (3/4 C.) butter
• 3/4 C. flour
• 1 qt. (4 C.) half and half

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Rub chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Place chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan and bake for 35 minutes.
4. Heat onions, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken stock and all seasonings in a Dutch oven, over medium-high heat until boiling, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for one hour.
5. While soup is simmering, remove the skin and bones from the chicken breasts and cut into small bite size pieces. Reserve.
6. Add the noodles and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
7. Make the cream sauce in a separate pot while the noodles cook.
8. Melt the butter over low heat, while whisking, add the flour a little at a time, then slowly add the half and half and continue whisking until the cream thickens about 5 minutes.
9. Add the cream sauce and the chicken to the soup, stir well and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
10. Serve hot!

Tips and Tricks:

• If you use leftover chicken for this recipe, you’ll need about 2 C. chopped.
• This soup freezes great!