“Yup, everything is going to be okay.” Those comforting words, uttered by Ree Drummond herself upon tasting this delightful dish, immediately piqued my interest. Like many, I grew up with chicken noodle soup as the ultimate comfort food, and discovering The Pioneer Woman’s take on this classic promised a nostalgic yet potentially novel experience. So, on a recent day when the chill of late winter still lingered, I decided to explore Ree Drummond’s “Retro Noodle Soup,” featured in an episode focusing on childhood comfort classics. This recipe, a twist on traditional chicken noodle soup, seemed like the perfect way to stay cozy and satisfied while anticipating the arrival of spring.
My own childhood memories are intertwined with chicken noodle soup. Whether it was coming in from building snow forts with freezing toes or needing gentle care while sick at home, my mom’s chicken noodle soup was the unwavering remedy. If I was fortunate, it was her homemade version, often featuring grandma’s wonderfully chewy egg noodles – a taste and texture remarkably similar to the top-rated chicken noodle soup we’ve rigorously tested and celebrated. Even on busier days, a can of store-bought chicken noodle soup was a comforting, warm embrace in a bowl. Paired with salty crackers, everything felt a little bit better.
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The Pioneer Woman’s Unique Spin: Chicken-Less Chicken Noodle Soup
Ree Drummond’s Retro Noodle Soup offers an intriguing deviation from the norm. As the Food Network team highlights when introducing her recipe, Ree herself “used to love canned chicken noodle soup as a girl, but she would always leave behind the chicken.” This personal quirk led to the creation of her Retro Noodle Soup recipe, which surprisingly omits chicken altogether. Instead, it captures the chicken flavor through bouillon cubes, focusing on the essence of the broth and noodles. With the addition of linguine, it becomes, in Ree’s words, her “perfect comfort food.”
Initially, the absence of chicken might seem unconventional for chicken noodle soup. However, reflecting on my own childhood love for the canned version, the appeal wasn’t really about the chicken itself. It was more about the delightful slurping of noodles, the warmth of the savory, steaming broth, and those tender, buttery carrot slices – always my favorite part!
Many fans resonate with this chicken-free approach. Ree’s Retro Noodle Soup boasts a five-star rating and glowing reviews. One reviewer exclaimed, “Perfect!!! I loved it so much and [it’s] so easy to make! I got sick, and it was truly healing.” Another home cook shared, “This was the best no-chicken chicken noodle soup ever. It reminded me and my husband of the canned soup we grew up on. Making it again today.”
Intrigued by the positive feedback and the recipe’s quick 25-minute preparation time (part of this collection of top-rated soups), I was ready to try it myself. Discovering that this recipe was designed for just two servings sealed the deal for a solo cook like me. Saltines or not, I was definitely making Pioneer Woman chicken and noodles.
Making Pioneer Woman’s Retro Noodle Soup: A Simple Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ small white onion, diced
- 2 small stalks celery, thinly sliced
- One 8 ¼-ounce can sliced carrots
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 6 ounces linguine
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed
- Kosher salt
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, cold
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Heat olive oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Stir and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the bouillon cube, breaking it up as you add it.
- Add the linguine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are al dente, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the black pepper, salt to taste, lemon juice, and cold butter. Mix until the butter is melted and incorporated. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
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My Verdict: Pioneer Woman Chicken and Noodles Delivers Comfort
Ree Drummond herself playfully questions whether the final dish is “soup, or is this a pasta dish?” due to the generous amount of noodles. After tasting it myself, accompanied by the saltines I managed to find, I can confidently say it delightfully straddles both categories – and most importantly, it genuinely pleased my inner child.
This Retro Noodle Soup is a comforting, quick, and flavorful meal, perfectly embodying the essence of childhood chicken noodle soup with a clever twist. To bridge the gap until spring arrives, I wholeheartedly recommend trying Ree Drummond’s Retro Noodle Soup. If you share an affection for savory noodle soups, you might also enjoy classic Grandma’s Chicken Noodle Soup or the nostalgic Copycat Chicken Noodle-O Soup. Pioneer Woman’s recipe offers a fantastic and easy way to experience chicken and noodles in a comforting, retro style.
