Souper Easy Not Boring Chicken Soup!

I don't know about you, but I find plain o'll chicken noodle soup pretty boring.  Unless I'm really sick and my Mom made it.  But that's different.  I had Chickpea Chicken-Noodle Soup on my list this week and with signs of a cold coming on I decided to make it last night.  It was SO easy and very tasty.  This recipe is from Food Network Magazine, which I love.  It's a good day when that baby arrives in the mail.  Whether you cook regularly or not, you cannot miss with this one.  Check it out:

Chickpea Chicken-Noodle Soup

3 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil (I think you can get away with using 2 Tbs)

4 oz spaghetti, broken into small pieces (I used whole wheat-yum)

1 carrot, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped (I used 3 because its good for the immune system)

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 cup fresh cilantro

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 small skinless, boneless chicken breasts thinly sliced

1. Heat olive oil in a large pot over med-high heat.  Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, about 2 min.  Add the garlic, carrot, cumin, cinnamon and half of the cilantro; cook stirring until the spices are toasted, about 1 min.  Add the chicken broth, chickpeas, diced tomatoes, 1 cup of water and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the spaghetti is just tender, about 8 min.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add it to the soup.  Simmer until cooked through, about 2 min.  Add the remaining cilantro and season with salt and pepper. 

That's it! How easy is that?  For you non-cooks I will suggest chopping the garlic and slicing the carrot before you get started because that spaghetti toasts up pretty quick.