To Chicken or Not To Chicken

My roommate, Melanie, and Drew were both feeling under the weather last week. Instead of DayQuil or tissues they asked me to mix up a big pot of chicken noodle soup so that their bodies could start healing. I have never made chicken noodle soup from scratch before and was excited about making such a classic comfort food for the first time. I googled some recipes for the soup and made an ingredient list compiling many of the elements of different recipes which I deemed worthy.

While Drew and Melanie's dinner was taken care of for the evening my stomach was getting a little concerned at its own prospects for fulfillment. I could just make a big salad for me. However cold lettuce leaves shrivled in my mind's eye next to a steaming pot of soup. I could make the soup with out the chicken (noodle soup?). Hm. I am usually not one to go out and buy pre-packaged imitation meat products but through a small amount of research I learned that Morning Star Farm's Chick'n Strips work wonderfully in no-chicken noodle soup.

While the chicken noodle soup was bubbling away I started a separate pot of the soup and replaced the chicken stock with vegetarian bouillon cubes and chicken with the chick'n. Both soups smelled wonderful and it felt good to be making a dish that would hopefully make my friends feel better. A smile crept on my face as the no-chicken noodle soup hit my tongue and the flavors bounced and played off one another in a subtle way. Drew and Melanie finished two bowls each of the chicken soup and were completely satisfied.

Out of curiosity's sake I asked them to sample a bit of the vegetarian versions of the classic recipe to see how it compared. They were surprised, "Wow, the soup with the chicken was good but this is amazing!".

I must admit, I was a bit surprised by their reaction. They complimented how all of the flavors were balanced and the chick'n strips worked well with the consistency of the noodles and vegetables. Am I a better vegetarian cook, or was it simply that this specific soup was better? I will have to work on my real chicken noodle soup skills; any taste test volunteers?