One Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Canned chicken, pasta, and oil simmered in one pot. Warm meals for cold camps.
- calories
- 450
- weight
- 5 oz
- cal / oz
- 90
- protein
- 30 g
- serves
- 1, scales
- prep
- 2 min
- cook
- 10 min
- total time
- 12 min
- water
- 500 ml boiled
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Lunch
- Canister stove
- Liquid fuel
- Backpacking
- Car camping
- Thru-hike
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- One pot
- Pre-mix at home
- Shelf stable
- Basic
Ingredients
| Dried vegetable blend | ¼ cup | stew-cut vegetables hold up best |
|---|---|---|
| Mini spaghetti | ¼ cup | or break up regular spaghetti |
| Chicken broth concentrate | 2 tsp | 2 sticks or cubes, reduced or full sodium |
| Canned or pouched chicken breast | 3–5 oz | in water or light oil; keep with the pack |
| Neutral oil | 1 Tbsp | in a small dropper bottle or packet |
Method
- At home, pack the dried vegetables and spaghetti together in a quart bag. Tuck the broth concentrate and oil packet separately or together in the same bag. Add the chicken. Mark 'Add 2 cups water' on the bag.
- At camp, pour 2 cups of water into a pot. Add the broth concentrate, oil, and chicken with any broth from the can.
- Add the dried vegetables and spaghetti, stir, and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer covered until the pasta is tender, about 8–10 minutes, depending on the pasta shape.
- Watch the pot so it doesn't boil over. The steam builds fast on a camp stove.
- Let cool for a minute and eat straight from the pot.
This is a one-pot meal that trades technique for calorie density. The oil is essential—not as seasoning, but as fuel. Thin broth alone will not sustain you through a cold night, but broth enriched with oil will. Canned chicken is already cooked, so you are really just rehydrating pasta and vegetables.
Pack this at home in a single bag for breakfast-level friction at dinnertime, which matters when you are tired and cold. The recipe scales easily: double the ingredients for two people. Watch closely as it cooks. A pot of soup bubbles up fast on a camp stove and will boil over if you look away.
Packing
Mix vegetables and spaghetti at home in a single bag so you are not measuring or choosing at camp. The chicken, broth, and oil can ride in the same bag or separate, depending on space.
Variations
- Add a second chicken packet for a heavier meal.
- Instant mashed potatoes (2 tablespoons per serving) can replace half the spaghetti for a thicker, sturdier meal.
- A dash of hot sauce powder or vinegar powder adds sharpness to a warming bowl.
https://trailcooking.com/2021/12/05/one-pot-chicken-noodle-soup