AIP chicken noodle soup made in the Instant Pot with cassava pasta and bone-in chicken thighs

Chicken noodle soup holds more memory than most foods do, and giving it up, even temporarily, even for a good reason, is a real loss worth naming instead of brushing past. What is in this pot 25 minutes later is close enough to the version you remember that you are not settling for anything. It is simply made from ingredients your body can handle right now.

Good chicken, from a bird that lived reasonably well, costs more, and it is worth paying for here. Something about broth built from an animal raised with care is different, even if you cannot always say exactly what that difference is. Source it as well as your budget allows.

The beta-carotene in the carrots does most of the work here, converting in the body to vitamin A, useful for the health of the gut lining and the airways. It is a quiet, steady contribution, the kind that matters more over months of regular meals than in any single bowl.

Use cassava pasta, not a grain-based stand-in, and cook it only until tender. It softens further as the soup sits, so do not worry about undercooking it slightly the first time. Eat it the way you always did, with a squeeze of lemon at the table if you want one.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 small onions or 1 large onion
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 6 cups water
• 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
• 6 stalks celery, sliced
• 8 ounces cassava pasta (Jovial brand fusilli or preferred shape)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• Optional: 1 teaspoon each dried sage and dried thyme
• Optional garnishes: 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger root, 3 tablespoons fresh mint, dill, or parsley - chopped small

Use cassava pasta rather than brown rice pasta or any grain-based pasta. Jovial brand is widely available and a reliable choice. Standard wheat pasta, brown rice pasta, and corn pasta are all excluded on AIP elimination.

Method

Set the Instant Pot to saute. Add the olive oil and let it warm, then add the onion and the first 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent.

Add the water, chicken thighs, the full tablespoon of salt, carrots, celery, garlic, and the herbs if you are using them. Stir briefly to combine.

Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.

Lift the chicken thighs out and place them on a cutting board. Shred the meat with two forks into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the pot.

Turn the pot to saute and bring the soup to a boil. Add the cassava pasta and cook according to the package directions - usually 8 to 10 minutes - until the noodles are tender but not mushy. Taste and adjust the salt.

Serve immediately with any garnishes you like.

Instant Pot variation

The method above is the Instant Pot method. The pressure cooking step - 15 minutes on high with a 10-minute natural release - builds the broth quickly and produces tender, easily shreddable chicken. Add the pasta after pressure cooking is complete.

Slow cooker variation

Saute the onion in olive oil in a skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, then transfer to the slow cooker with all remaining ingredients except the pasta. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, then cook the cassava pasta separately on the stovetop according to the package directions and stir it in just before serving. Adding dry pasta directly to a slow cooker makes it mushy.

Stovetop method

Saute the onion in olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat until soft. Add the water, chicken, salt, carrots, celery, and garlic. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through. Remove and shred the chicken, return it to the pot, bring back to a boil, add the cassava pasta, and cook until tender.

Notes

The soup thickens as it sits because cassava pasta absorbs broth over time. If making ahead, store the cooked pasta separately from the broth and combine when reheating.

A squeeze of fresh lemon at the table brightens the broth. Fresh mint or dill stirred in at the end changes the character of the soup without adding any effort.

*Adapted from eatbeautiful.net (Megan Stevens)*