Emeril Lagasse's Chicken Noodle Soup Add-In Makes A Dramatic Difference

A nourishing bowl of chicken noodle soup is guaranteed to lift your spirits on a gloomy day. Featuring shredded chicken and hearty vegetables, a soothing broth, and a swirl of filling noodles, this dish is adored for its reassuring flavors. However, there's one add-in that can take a chicken noodle soup to the next level without overshadowing its homey taste: button mushrooms. Featured in chef Emeril Lagasse's recipe for chicken noodle soup, this fungus lends the broth a richer flavor, color, and complexity.

A recipe for classic chicken noodle soup usually begins with sautéing a mixture of vegetables, such as carrots, onions, and celery, in a large pot. These aromatics are simmered together with chicken, herbs, and stock until everything comes together to create a flavorful broth for the noodles to soften in. While there's room to experiment with different vegetables and additions, like bay leaves, thyme, or parsley, this peasant-style meal is beloved for its simplicity. However, adding button mushrooms to chicken noodle soup makes a dramatic difference with little extra work, guaranteeing that the finished soup retains its cozy vibe. Firstly, the quartered button mushrooms lend the soup a meatier texture due to their firm cell structure, which maximizes its filling quality. Secondly, mushrooms are a natural source of umami-rich glutamate that doubles down on the savory depth of the chicken, imbuing it with a rounded, nuttier taste. Finally, the mushrooms enrich the color of the broth, turning it slightly darker.

Lagasse maximizes the umami flavor of the button mushrooms by sautéing them in oil until they develop some color. This move intensifies their savory quality before onions, sliced carrots, and diced celery are added to the mix and softened. Then, he adds in shredded chicken and a homemade stock (which is made with root veggies, herbs, and a whole chicken) before simmering everything together. The noodles are placed into the pot for a final ten minutes to complete the dish.

Button mushrooms have a mild earthy flavor, which means they don't overpower the other elements of a quality chicken soup. Having said that, if you don't have any on hand, you can also use cremini or portobello mushrooms that have a slightly deeper flavor but similar meaty texture. Just avoid mushrooms that have a very intense flavor, such as morels, as they could overwhelm your broth. For even heartier chicken noodle soup, throw in some cabbage. This nutrient-dense vegetable will lend your dish a wholesome flavor and filling quality that works well with the button mushrooms and enhances their savoriness. At the other end of the spectrum, add lemon juice to your chicken soup like Giada De Laurentiis to lift its flavor and lend the broth a brighter, zestier taste.