On a recent afternoon, I had a call from my schoolteacher daughter. Her voice sounded low and gravelly, more like actor Harvey Fierstein than her usual Mary Poppins. Nose blowing trumpeted after many sentences. I knew homemade chicken noodle soup would help allay her symptoms, but I needed the process to be quick and easy.

I thumbed through Julia Turshen’s newest cookbook, “What Goes With What” (Flatiron Books), and found a recipe dubbed “fastest chicken noodle soup.” Bingo. I had all the ingredients on hand, so once I cut up the chicken and carrots, the cooking took less than 20 minutes.

Two things, easy things. I found that as the soup sat and cooled enough to package, the noodles absorbed some of the broth. So I added additional broth. And for acidity, I added a generous splash of Frank’s RedHot. The sauce brought a spark of tartness and a subtle spiciness.

Fastest chicken noodle soup

Yield: 6 to 8 servings. Source: “What Goes With What,” by Julia Turshen (Flatiron Books).

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

2 large (or 3 medium) carrots, peeled, cut into bite-size pieces

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons sweet paprika; see cook’s notes

10 cups boiling water (or not boiling, but the soup will take a little longer to cook)

2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon roasted chicken base

One 12-ounce package wide egg noodles

2 large garlic cloves, minced

For serving: Chopped fresh dill or Italian parsley

Optional: Frank’s RedHot sauce

Cook’s notes: Generally I have a red tin of sweet Hungarian paprika in my fridge (yes, I keep paprika in my refrigerator). But the last time I did a super cleaning, I pitched it because it dated back to the Clinton presidency. I used standard (not hot) paprika and it was fine.

DIRECTIONS

1. Place oil in large heavy pot (such as a Dutch oven) over high heat. Add chicken and carrots, and season with salt, garlic powder and paprika. Cook, stirring now and then, until chicken is opaque all over and just barely firm, about 8 minutes (it’s OK if it’s not totally cooked through at this point).

2. Add the water and stir in the Better Than Bouillon; do this cautiously because it may splatter at first. Bring to a boil (this should be nearly instant if you’re using boiling water). Turn down heat to medium. Stir in the egg noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are just tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and, if using, add Frank’s RedHot to taste.

3. Taste and add salt if needed. Sprinkle fresh dill or parsley on top of each serving.