[Recipe] Chicken Sopas (milky chunky chicken soup with macaroni and vegetables)

I suspect that each culture has their own version of the venerable chicken soup and Filipino cuisine is no exception. In fact, we have several iterations of this comfort food depending on your cravings at that particular point in time. We have the tinolang manok (chicken in gingery broth), the binakol na manok (chicken cooked in coconut water with tender coconut meat), the chicken arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge), tiyula itum (the Tausug chicken soup that incorporates the ashes of coconut husks which is responsible for its signature dark appearance), and chicken sopas (milky chunky chicken soup with macaroni and vegetables) to name just a few. While most the examples I enumerated are typically consumed with rice, both the chicken arroz caldo and the chicken sopas are typically consumed as merienda (snack) or can be considered as a complete meal and eaten on its own (since they already incorporate carbohydrates).

Chicken Sopas

I had a friend who got sick recently and coincidentally I also had a sudden craving for chicken sopas so I decided I would make some (I thought that it would be a nice gesture to give some to my friend who had little appetite and was in bed most of the time).

Here is my version of chicken sopas:

Ingredients:
3 cloves Garlic, minced 
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
1/2 kilo chicken, broken down into small pieces 
400 grams elbow macaroni
1 small carrot, peeled and cut into small cubes 
100 grams of Baguio beans (french beans), thinly sliced 
1/2 small head of cabbage, thinly sliced 
370 ml evaporated milk 
2 Tablespoons butter 
1 stalk of celery, roughly chopped into cubes  
1.5-2 liters chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, saute minced garlic and chopped onions in butter until the onion caramelizes. Add chicken pieces and cook until browned slightly. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until pasta is at desired doneness (I prefer the pasta to be al dente but I know people who like it softer). Add the vegetables about 15 minutes after adding the pasta. Add evaporated milk and let simmer for another 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve piping hot. Serves 5 to 6 people.