Soup weather is here: Start with this delicious twist on chicken soup

Fall has arrived — you can feel it in the crisp evening air. And here in Minnesota, that means it's time to pull out the sweaters and the soup pot, because it doesn't take long for that crisp, refreshing air to turn cold and frosty.

No other dish warms you up better, from the inside out, than chicken noodle soup. It feels like a big hug from Mom. But unless your mom was a lot different from mine, when we got soup on a weeknight, it usually came from a can.

While making soup completely from scratch can take time, you don't have to commit to the long game to get a soul-satisfying soup on the table. A few strategic steps, like the ones taken in this week's Chicken and Herbed Spaetzle Soup, can result in a delicious bowl that's quick and easy enough to make any night of the week.

First, let's talk about the noodles. Homemade noodles are thick and chewy and wonderful, but I'm also a huge fan of spaetzle, an Eastern European dumpling made with flour, eggs and milk or water.

Spaetzle is typically served with dishes like schnitzel, goulash or chicken paprikash, but it's delicious added to chicken soup, too. The pillowy little dumplings are lighter than homemade noodles, and also less fussy, with no rolling necessary. I like to add herbs to mine, but they're also delicious without.

For the soup, I start by browning the chicken and the onion, a step that adds important flavor. Carrots, celery and chicken broth are added, as well as a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme. Fresh herbs, especially one as fragrant as thyme, heighten the flavor of the broth, whether that broth is store-bought or homemade.

From here, it only takes a little simmering time to cook the chicken through and marry all these comforting flavors together.

The spaetzle is cooked right in the soup, but if you aren't planning on serving all of the soup at one time, you may want to cook your spaetzle separately, in salted boiling water, toss them in a little bit of butter or oil to keep them from sticking, and add some to each bowl before ladling in the hot soup.

I like to keep the soup and spaetzle in separate containers in the fridge. This will keep the spaetzle from absorbing too much broth and becoming mushy. It's a technique I use whenever I'm making soup with a starch like noodles or rice.

You could certainly serve this soup with salad and a crusty loaf of bread, but it's also hearty enough to serve on its own.

Serves 4 to 6.

Herbed spaetzle, little German dumplings flecked with parsley and chives, are a delicious stand-in for more traditional noodles in this flavorful chicken soup. While spaetzle is quick and easy to pull together, if desired, you can substitute a 12-ounce package of frozen spaetzle. From Meredith Deeds.

For the spaetzle:

• 1 2/3 c. flour

• 3/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tbsp. minced fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill or a combination), plus more for garnish

• 3/4 c. milk

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

For the soup:

• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed

• 1/2 tsp. salt, divided

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• 6 c. chicken broth

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 rib celery, thinly sliced

• 2 sprigs fresh thyme

Directions

To prepare the spatzle: Whisk flour, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in large bowl. Vigorously stir the milk and eggs into the dry ingredients until smooth (mixture will be thick). Cover and let rest while you make the soup, about 20 to 30 minutes.

To prepare the soup: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned on both sides, about 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and add the onion to pot. Cook, stirring, until just starting to brown, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the chicken back to the pot with the broth, carrot, celery, thyme sprigs and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Discard thyme sprigs and transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let cool slightly. Using 2 forks, shred chicken into bite-size pieces.

Increase heat to medium and bring soup back to a low boil. Place a colander with large holes, or a spaetzle maker, over the soup pot. Spoon a large dollop of spaetzle batter into the colander. Using a spatula, press batter through the holes. Give spaetzle a gentle stir. Repeat with remaining batter. Cook spaetzle until it floats, about 1 minute. Return chicken to the soup. Remove from heat.

Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with parsley and chives.

Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram ­at @meredithdeeds.