Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

I made some stock last time I made a whole chicken and I wanted to get it out of my freezer because it's in a big container taking up space.  To make a quality stock, all you have to do is toss in any chicken parts, bones, skin, meat, fat, and then any veggie trimmings you might have too.  Boil them slowly in water and let the stock absorb all the flavors and reduce down.  When it's the right flavor (taste it) you can let it cool and then run it through a sieve to make sure there are no bones or parts left in the stock.

Or, you can just use a can of broth.

Chicken soup is easy.  I chopped up 3 whole carrots into rounds, 3 stocks of celery into a rough chop and a whole sweet onion into a rough chop.  I added them to the stock and brought them to a boil, then reduced the heat and simmered low for a while, maybe half an hour.  

Meanwhile, I grilled two boneless, skinless chicken breasts and let them cool slightly so I could pull them apart into small, bite sized pieces.  You can use any chicken meat you have.  It can be leftovers too.  When I finished pulling the meat apart I added it to the soup pot and stirred it in.  

I seasoned my soup with a pinch of thyme.  A dab will do you.  I also added some parsley for color, and I like how it tastes too.  The stock and chicken was already seasoned with salt and pepper, but taste and adjust seasoning if need be.

I like my noodles al dente, so I cook them separate and then add them when I'm ready to serve the soup.  You can just drop them in the soup and cook them too.  However you prefer is fine.  I use Kluski noodles, made in Pennsylvania Dutch Country.  They're like the ones I'd make homemade that Grandma taught me to make, when I don't have time or want to clean up the mess, which is most of the time.

What a way to spend a snowy day in the house.  It smells heavenly and tastes like Mom used to make.

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