Crazy Cooking Challenge : Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

I'm so exited to be participating in the challenge this month!  What a great opportunity to find yummy recipes, try them out, and then blog about them.

This months theme was "Chicken Noodle Soup", and the requirements were that it had to have CHICKEN, and that it had to have NOODLES, and that it must be a SOUP.  Easy enough right???  I think so :)

So I started on my quest to find a blog & a soup recipe.  Thank You Pinterest & Google search engines!
I came across this blog, BevCooks, and the recipe that struck me was her Thai Chicken Noodle Soup.  I mean, her pictures were gorgeous, and the ingredients sounded delicious, how could I not try.

I know these pictures don't do the soup justice {there's just no sun at 5:30pm} but this soup was AWESOME!  With a Capital A!

I loved the garlic, ginger, cilantro, lime juice combination with the coconut milk.  And the only downfall to my soup were the noodles I had boughten.  The soba noodles I purchased at the store, frankly, sucked, but everything else I just loved!

I also loved the ease of putting everything in the crockpot and letting it do it's thing.  Fantastic!

I also think that the addition of the lime & cilantro at the end makes the soup.  It kicked it up another level.

My husband came home from an exhausting-tuff day at work and ate two servings; he loved the flavor combination.  My little picky girl....she ate everything so fast, I was amazed.

I followed the Ingredients that were provided, except I left out the jalepenos {because I didn't have any, and the kids don't do heat} and the bean sprouts {forgot to pick some up}.

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup
by: Bev @ BevCooks

* 3 frozen or thawed chicken breast halves {I had two really big chicken breasts that I stuck in frozen, and it worked for my family of 5}
* 3 or 4 cloves garlic, minced {I used 3}
* 2 Tbs. freshly minced ginger {I think I probably used more than what was asked; I just chopped up a two-inch piece of ginger}
* 2 (13.5 oz) cans coconut milk
* 4 cups chicken stock {I used instant Chicken bouillon}
* 3 Tbs. soy sauce
* 4 oz thin rice noodles {I put in some Japanese Soba noodles that I had, and they sucked...but I think any noodle would work}
* 2 red bell peppers, diced {loved the little crunchiness at the end with these}
* 2 cups fresh beans sprouts {forgot to buy some, so they were left out}
* 2 jalapenos, finely sliced {left these out...too much heat for the family}
* 2 limes {I used the juice from one lime & it did the trick}
* cilantro for garnish {I just grabbed a small handful & chopped it up}
* coarse salt and freshly ground pepper {I actually didn't add any of this.  I thought the sodium from the broth & soy sauce would suffice.  And when I taste-tested it, it tasted just fine.}

In a slow cooker, add the coconut milk, broth, garlic, ginger, chicken, soy sauce, a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook on high for 3 hours {Since I put this in early in the day, I had it on low for 5-ish hours}.

Using tongs, remove chicken from pot and shred with two forks. Return to pot. Add the rice noodles, bell pepper and sprouts. Cook 30 more minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.

Serve each bowl garnished with sliced jalapeno, a good handful of cilantro and some gigantic squirts of lime {I actually squeezed the lime & added the cilantro into the crockpot all together}. 

Thanks for stopping by!

I’m Linking up to these Awesome Blogs!

Makin’ You Crave Monday {Mrs. Happy Homemaker}

Mouthwatering Mondays {A Southern Fairytale}

Soup & Comfort Food Challenge {The CSI Project}