Chicken Noodle Meatloaf

Every Sunday afternoon my Dad made us two bowls of chicken noodle soup + a tall stack of saltines for the weekly afternoon golf show on CBC.

We’d sit on the chesterfield; my feet barely hanging over the sides, with my soup on my lap and my crackers laid out on the cushion beside me.

Dad would stack his saltines in the palm of his right hand, close his left hand over-top, then squeeze his palms together gently. The crackers would magically fall from his hands into the soup in perfectly sized crumbs.

He helped me crumble my crackers until my palms were big enough to fit around a saltine, then he taught me the trick.

We continued with our chicken soup ritual for many years following.

Although we live further from each other, I’m sure he’ll be on that same couch this afternoon enjoying his saltines and soup. I would be doing the same if we hadn’t mysteriously ran out of chicken breasts.

This Sunday, this chicken noodle soup girl had to get a bit creative.

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Chicken Noodle Meatloaf

Gluten free, Dairy free, Refined sugar free, Yeast free

A spill-free take on chicken noodle soup.

Yield: One 9×13 meatloaf

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground chicken
• 1 cup uncooked rice pasta
• 1/2 cup quinoa flakes
• 3 tbsp egg whites
• 1 medium carrot, diced – 1/3 cup yield
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery sticks, diced – 1/2 cup yield
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tbsp unpastuerized honey
• 1/2 tsp yeast-free chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan rock salt
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp celery seed
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9×13-inch loaf pan with a dab of coconut or extra virgin olive oil.
2. Bring water to a boil in a medium sized saucepan. Add rice pasta and bring back to a boil. Cook for 6 minutes, drain, rinse, and set aside. The pasta should be a couple of minutes from al dente.
3. Combine all ingredients but pasta in a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Add pasta and mix gently.
4. Form the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Cover with lid, or aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes.
5. Remove the cover and bake for another 15 minutes. Must reach an internal temperature of 165F.

note: you can allow the loaf to sit for about 20 minutes to allow to cool so it stays together perfectly.

calories: 156 | fat: 5.3g | carbohydrates: 15.2g | fiber: 1.5g | sugars: 4.2g | protein: 12.4g

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Have a fabulous Sunday

Tagged as: chicken, chicken noodle, freezable, ground chicken, meatloaf, noodles, soup