I think I can speak for almost everyone when I say that nothing warms the soul like a good bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup. When I am in the backcountry finally relaxing after a long day of backpacking, there is nothing better than a warm, delicious meal. Sometimes I can even settle for just warm.
When I was trying to decide what dehydrated backpacking meal I wanted to make next, a cold-front had moved into Seattle and the idea of making a soup felt perfect. Low and behold, the perfect backpacking chicken noodle soup dehydrated meal.
A warm broth with the hearty goodness of tender vegetables, tasty chicken, and delicious noodles truly is one of the best dehydrated backpacking meals a person could make.
Easy Chicken Noodle Soup Backpacking Meal
If you’re new to making your own backcountry camping meals, Chicken Noodle Soup is a great place to start. It is an easy backpacking meal with simple ingredients and great pay off.
Nutritional Benefits of Chicken Noodle Soup
When choosing what to eat in the backcountry, meals with proper nutritional benefits are extremely important. The dehydrated chicken noodle soup backpacking meal has several nutritional benefits which are listed below. Remember Protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
- Protein: Chicken is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for repairing and building tissues. However, if chicken isn’t for you, white beans or alternative chicken works just as good!
- Carbohydrates: Carbs! My favorite. Choose your favorite noodle to include that is rich in carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are essential for maintaining energy levels during your backpacking trip.
- Fats: Since chicken is relatively low on fat, adding an additional fat source like powdered butter or milk or concentrated oils like avocado aids in body energy and cell function.
- Electrolytes: The salt that is within this backpacking meal aids in hydration and cell function. You can control the amount of sodium in this meal depending on personal needs especially if you’re looking for a low-sodium backpacking meal.
Vitamins and Minerals: The dehydrated vegetables, carrots, celery, onions, and peas retain most of their vitamins and minerals despite the dehydration process. These nutrients support overall health and well-being.
Note: nutritional benefits will depend on the specific ingredients used. When making this meal choose options that will work best for you and consider the benefits of each ingredient used.
Chicken Noodle Soup Ingredients and Preparation
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Pasta (of your choice)
- 1 Chicken Breast
- ½ Cup Chopped Carrots
- ½ Cup Chopped Celery
- ½ Cup Onion
- ½ Cup Peas
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
- ½ Teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ Teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons of flour OR ½ Tablespoon of Cornstarch
- ½ Teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Equipment
- Dehydrator
- Kitchen Scale
- Vacuum sealer or airtight storage bags
- Lightweight stove or camp stove
- Heat-safe bowl or pot
- Spoon or spork
At Home Prep
- Prepare your chicken: Remove excess fat from the chicken breast for optimal dehydration. Season with salt & pepper and place in a preheated oven of 350℉ for 25-30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 175℉. Let the chicken cool before cutting it into small cubes.
- Cook your pasta: Cook your pasta according to the directions on the label. Drain and set aside to cool.
- Chop your veggies: Cut your onion, carrots, and celery into small pieces. Large chunks are harder to dehydrate and rehydrate.
4. Record Pre-Weight: If possible, use a scale to measure how much your ingredients weigh in grams prior to dehydration.
5. Dehydrating: Carefully (and with clean hands) arrange your chicken, noodles, and veggies on your dehydrator trays. They should be spread out in thin layers with space between the items. If your trays are too packed, dehydration will take longer. Dehydrate at 149℉ for 6-8 hours. Reference the instructions for your specific dehydrator.
6. Record Post-Weight: Re-weigh your dehydrated ingredients. The difference in weight is the amount of water lost. That is the minimum amount or water you will add when rehydrating. Since this is a soup, you can add as much water as you’d like depending on how much broth you want.
7. Putting it together: In a Mylar Bag or Stasher Bag, add the remaining ingredients along with the dehydrated ingredients.
I suggest labeling your bag with the following: Meal Name, Date of Packaging, and Amount of Water Needed for Rehydration.
Preparing in the Backcountry
- Using your backpacking stove, boil the amount of water needed to create your soup. If the difference in weight before and after dehydrating was 350g, you will need 350mL to rehydrate your meal.
- Boil your ingredients for 3 minutes to activate the flour or cornstarch for thickening your soup.
- Remove from heat, stir, and cover for ten minutes.
- Enjoy your tasty backpacking meal!
Chicken Noodle Soup Variations and Customizations
What you’ll find when you make your own homemade backpacking meals is that variations are endless. Dehydrated Backpacking meals offer lots of opportunity for creativity,
- Make it Vegan: Vegan Chicken Noodle Soup is a protein packed soup! Swap out the chicken for a meat alternative and use a vegetable bouillon cube instead! Trader joes actually has a dehydrated alternative chicken option that I use regularly!
- Chicken Noodle Chowder: If you’re looking for something extra hearty, adding dehydrated whole milk will thicken your sauce and make it extra creamy. Be sure to keep the amount of water low so you’re creating more of a sauce than a broth.
- Chicken and Rice: This recipe also works with rice! If you prefer to use rice over noodles, you’re in luck because it is just as delicious!
Wrap Up
I truly hope you enjoy making your own Chicken Noodle Soup Dehydrated Backpacking Meal! Backcountry camping meals do not have to be complicated to provide you with all of the nutrition you need to fuel your adventures.
Happy Backpacking!
If you have questions, leave me a comment and I will answer it!
SAVE FOR LATER!
