Chicken Soup
Around this time of year is when I get sick with a cold. My annual cold has honestly become inevitable and now i’m awaiting it’s arrival. However, with the state of our world, a cold can easily be confused for Covid.
I remember I came to school one day really congested from seasonal allergies. Later that day, my mom told me that the school nurse had called and said that a student in my class was concerned and confused my congestion with Covid. From then on, i’ve been trying my best to avoid getting sick. So, it’s only fitting to share my chicken soup recipe.
What I love about this soup is that you can make it completely from scratch or you can substitute the stock-making process and add chicken bouillon to simplify everything. I also love how much you can build upon it. You can add matzoh balls, or egg noodles, or you can eat (or drink?) it plain!
The broth can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days and stored in the freezer for 4-6 months.
Ingredients
1 5 pound whole chicken - cut into pieces (giblets removed) OR chicken bouillon (follow instructions for measurements)
12 cups water
1 onion peeled and halved
4 large carrots peeled and coarsely chopped
2 rib celery coarsely chopped
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
6-8 whole peppercorns
1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
For the broth:
Begin by placing the chicken in a large pot. Add the water and cover the pot. Then, over medium heat, let it boil. To the pot add the onion, 2 or the carrots, 1 celery stalk, and salt. Simmer until the chicken is cooked (at least one hour, but up to 5 hours, but the more the broth simmers, the more flavor it will have). NOTE: after 1 hour, take the chicken breasts out to prevent from drying out. Remove the chicken from the pot and shred the chicken off of the bones. Strain the broth through a fine strainer or cheese cloth. Let the broth refrigerate overnight. The next day, skim the fat off of the top.
For the chicken soup:
In a pot, add the two remaining carrots and 1 remaining celery stalk. Add the broth and let the carrots and celery simmer in the broth until soft, about 35 mins. Add the shredded chicken and any other toppings. Enjoy!
