Chicken Noodle Soup with Butternut Squash

Ingredients

2 1/2 quarts low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 2 boneless skinless breasts)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 celery stalks, chopped, including tops and leaves

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

8 oz. egg noodles

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation

If you have a slow cooker, I highly recommend using it to cook the chicken for this recipe. Add the two chicken breasts and cover with water (about two cups), and cook on high for 4 hours. Otherwise, place the chicken breasts in a large pot, fill with water, bring to a boil, and cook for 90 minutes. Shred the cooked chicken with a fork.

Place a large pot over medium-high heat and coat with the olive oil. Add the shallot, garlic, squash, celery, mushrooms, bay leaf, and thyme. Sautee until the mushrooms and celery are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Add the shredded chicken and stir throughout.

Turn off heat and remove the bay leaf. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.