Recipe Background
Rancher's Favorite Soup combines crispy bacon, tender chicken, and cheeses in a flavorful broth with egg noodles and veggies.
Rancher's Favorite Soup is a hug in a bowl, where crispy bacon and rich, melted cheeses commune with tender pieces of chicken and the satisfying slurp of egg noodles. The aroma of slowly sautéed onions, carrots, and celery mingles with garlic, infusing the air with a comforting duet of sweet and savory. As the broth warms and welcomes the ranch seasoning, it whispers promises of the hearty satisfaction to come.
This dish is joyfully simple to craft, suitable for a novice cook or anyone looking to whip up something fulfilling without a fuss. The sizzle of bacon and the gradual transformation of ingredients bring a sense of accomplishment, with each step revealing another layer of flavor and texture. A garnish of parsley offers a final dash of freshness, elevating the soup's aesthetic and brightening its taste. Ready with minimal fuss, it's perfect for sharing with family or devouring greedily alone.
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon sliced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup carrot diced
- 1 cup celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning
- 1 pound chicken breasts or thighs boneless and skinless
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped, for garnish
Directions
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the bacon slices and cook, flipping them once, until they are crisp and golden-brown, about 10 minutes.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pan and drain the remainder.
- In the skillet with the bacon grease over medium heat, add the onions, the carrots, and the celery and cook, while stirring, until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
- Add the garlic to the vegetable mixture and cook, while stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the broth, the ranch seasoning, and the chicken to the vegetable mixture and stir to combine.
- Bring the soup mixture to a boil and cover the saucepan.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer the soup mixture, covered, until the chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board and slice or shred them.
- Add the noodles and bring the soup mixture to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the noodles are cooked, about 7 minutes.
- Turn off the stovetop heat.
- Add the cream cheese and the cheddar cheese to the soup and stir until melted.
- Crumble the cooked bacon, then add it to the soup.
- Add the chicken pieces to the soup and stir to combine.
- Taste the soup for seasoning and add the salt and the black pepper, as needed.
- Serve garnished with the parsley.
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