Quick and easy chicken alphabet soup recipe
From the time children are nine months old, they're ready for soup. Getting toddlers to eat soup -- to love it -- is the challenge. Soup should be fun, and what's more fun than teaching children how to spell their names in noodles? For young children, keep it simple: a rich homemade broth, some diced carrots, tiny alphabet pasta. For older children, add chunks of celery and chicken. Dress up your own grown-up portion with chopped scallions, cilantro or parsley, or a few red pepper flakes. Have fun -- it's soup!
Quick and easy chicken alphabet soup
Serves two; can be doubled.
Ingredients
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup tiny alphabet pasta
Optional garnishes for adult portion: chunks of chicken, red pepper flakes, chopped cilantro or parsley, black pepper
Directions
In a sauce pan, bring the chicken stock and carrots to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook at a high simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, until the carrots are nearly soft and the stock has reduced by 1/3. Add the pasta. Continue to cook for 10 minutes, until the pasta and carrots are kid-friendly soft.
Remove from heat and ladle into serving bowls. Allow to cool until it's safe for your child to eat. Garnish your own portion, if you wish.
I have a baby and a toddler who would love me to make this for them - thanks for the great idea!
Kathy, I can't imagine a child who wouldn't love playing with the alphabet noodles in this soup.