Bright, light, and perfect for spring

Chicken soup for spring? You betcha. 🌞

Remember how I told you yesterday that I was probably going to make myself sick on malted robin eggs? Well, to no one’s surprise, that is precisely what happened. I felt like I spent my Saturday wrapped up in a sugar-induced fog. It was worth it. I love those little robin eggs, and I’ll happily make the same mistake again next year.

Naturally, I didn’t let a case of too many robin eggs ruin my day, and I got a little burst of energy around 11 PM to make a cute carrot cake for today.

I was so happy to find a recipe for a single-layer cake by Katie Olsen (I loved this fun feature on her by

Rachel Phipps

). This cake is perfect for small groups or when you just don’t feel like fussing with double or triple-layer cakes. It made a perfect 8-inch cake which I enjoyed so much. If you’d like to make Katie’s carrot cake, you can grab the recipe here. The only change I made is that I used Kafe Hawaij, made by New York Shuk, in addition to cinnamon. I love the little hint of ginger and clove in the cake.

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5-Ingredient Chicken Soup Recipe

Now, let’s talk chicken soup. I love chicken soup, and this is probably one of the easiest ones I’ve ever made. The soup is 5 ingredients, and the garnishes are optional. You’ll want this on regular rotation and particularly if you’re feeling under the weather (from too much sugar or otherwise…).

I served this soup with noodles. Conventional wisdom will say to boil the noodles in a separate pot. BUT, if you’re planning on eating this right away and all in one go, don’t be afraid to throw them in with the broth. It’s what I did, and I won’t tell if you won’t tell. If you want to cook the noodles in the broth, add them in with the peas and use soba, udon, ramen, Chinese wheat noodles, or egg noodles. Rice noodles–in my opinion–should be cooked separately and according to their package instructions, so they don’t turn gummy.

The full recipe is below, and the print-friendly PDF (for paid subscribers only) is at the very end of the post.

Ingredients:

• 1½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 6 cups water, plus more if needed *See note below

• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into half-moons

• 3-inch piece of ginger, scrubbed and crushed lightly with the back of your knife

• ½ cup green peas, fresh or frozen

• 8 ounces noodles of choice

• Salt, to taste

For serving, optional:

• Fresh herbs, like Thai basil, minced scallions, dill, parsley, or fresh cilantro

• Thinly sliced chili pepper or chili oil

• Sesame oil

Simmer the chicken:

• Place the chicken in a large pot and season it with salt. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Add the onion and ginger. Add another generous shake of salt. Reduce heat and simmer for 35–45 minutes. Skim the surface of the broth occasionally to remove any scum or foam.

• Remove the chicken from the pot and transfer it to a bowl. Once it’s cool enough to handle, remove the skin, pick the meat from the bones, and shred it. Discard skin and bones or reserve them for another use.

• Fish out the ginger and as much of the onion as possible and discard them both. Keep the broth on a low simmer.

Cook the noodles:

• As the broth simmers, boil another pot of water and cook the noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse, and divide between bowls.

Finish the soup:

• Return the chicken to the pot and bring it to a boil. Add the peas. Simmer for 5 minutes until bright green. Taste and season to your preferences.

To serve:

• Ladle the broth over the noodles. Garnish to your preferences with fresh herbs, chili pepper, or sesame oil. Enjoy!

Note: This recipe uses 6 cups of water which makes a very light broth for the noodles. If you like it soupier, add an additional 2 cups of water and adjust the seasonings to compensate.