Not Just For The Soul

I guarantee if you make this chicken soup recipe, you will never open another can or packet again. It is adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse. The onion, thyme, and parsley were provided by Dewdrop Farms in Springboro, Ohio.

Basic Preparation

I cannot stress enough the importance of using freshly ground pepper. Find a good grinder and never buy pre-ground...ever! I also suggest never using salted butter when cooking. You can always adjust the salt at the end. If you don't have real chicken stock or canned I would advise against using bouillon. Why go to all the bother of making fresh chicken soup if you just plan to ruin it with those little cubes. Open up a can of soup and wait until you can buy some. The only substitute for regular bouillon is Better Than Bouillon. If you are using a small noodle like alphabet or stars be sure not too much or they will swell and you'll end up noodle cake.

Simple Chicken Noodle Soup
4 hearty servings

1 whole chicken (3-4 lbs)
1 quart chicken stock
2 quarts water
2 medium onions, quartered
2 carrots, roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

5-6 parsley stems

2 bay leaves

2 tbs unsalted butter

1/2 cup diced onions

1/2 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup diced celery

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1/4 lb noodles

2 tbs fresh parsley

Place the chicken in a large soup pot and cover with chicken broth and water. Add the onion quarters, roughly chopped carrots and celery, thyme, parsley stems, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the chicken and, when cool enough to handle, shred the meat. Strain the liquid through cheese cloth and discard the vegetables reserving the liquid.

Melt the butter in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the diced carrots, onions, and celery and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth and meat and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.