Amish-Style Chicken Corn Soup

5 from 1 vote

Brimming with chicken and vegetables and a regional classic, a pot of this soul-warming soup is easy to make with basic ingredients.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 40

Total Time 55

Servings quarts (12 cups)

2 tablespoons (28g) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
2-3 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
3-4 carrots, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 bay leaves
⅛ teaspoon saffron (may substitute ⅛ teaspoon each sweet or smoked paprika and turmeric)
1 quart (32 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water (could use more broth)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 12-ounce package frozen corn (no need to thaw) or 2 lightly rounded cups fresh
1 10-ounce package frozen creamed corn (I use Cope's brand; may sub canned creamed corn*)
½ cup small egg or Amish noodles (omit for gluten-free option)
3 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
½ teaspoon sugar (enhances the corn flavor but doesn't make the soup sweet)

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaves, saffron, stock, water, and chicken. Bring just to the boiling point, then immediately reduce the heat and gently simmer (gentle heat = most tender chicken) for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken is just cooked through. Remove the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, shred the chicken. (To avoid long, stringy shreds, I cut the breasts in half or thirds first.)
Meanwhile, add both corns and the noodles and continue to cook at barely a simmer. In about 15 minutes or when the noodles are just short of cooked, return the chicken to the pot. Continue cooking for a few more minutes or until the noodles are al dente and the chicken is warm. Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaves and stir in the eggs, parsley, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.