Homemade Chicken Soup

by **Susan** Fri Jan 21, 2011 12:31 pm

There is nothing like cooking a pot of soup on a cold winter's day! Of course, I could eat soup any time of the year. It is one of my favorite "comfort" foods. It is healthy and just delicious!

Before starting, I just want to make a notation:

Don't forget to wash the chicken inside and out, BEFORE cooking. (I actually know someone who never washes meat, before cooking it! YUK! Not to mention the amount of germs and bacteria that is being introduced, by not washing meat before cooking it. I also learned it is better to freeze your meat, before cooking. This kills off germs and bacteria, that isn't killed just by cooking.)

The recipe:

I slow cook a whole chicken, minus the giblets. Once chicken is done, I remove it from the pot, and allow it to cool, before de-boning it. In the stock, I add chopped celery, onion and carrots. (I use about half of a bunch of celery, a whole onion and about half a bag of carrots)In place of the carrots, you can add a frozen bag of mixed soup veggies. (This usually contains carrots corn greenbeans and English peas.) You can add whatever veggies you like, to this recipe, or only use the celery onion and carrots. It's all good!

Once the chicken is cooled and de-boned, I return the chicken to the pot. I add about 1/2 stick of butter, and about 1 T. Lemon Juice, salt and pepper to taste. (Butter adds flavor and is better than adding margerine.) Depending upon my mood and whether or not the stock is tasting good at this point, I may add some crushed garlic, maybe a Tablespoon or 2. Allow the soup to continue cooking, just until the veggies are done. I then add some noodles, usually about 12 ounces (one bag of maccaroni, ziti, or whatever, I happen to have on hand.) Under cook them, by a few minutes. Turn off the burner, and cover the pot. The noodles will conitue cooking. That's it. It makes enough to feed a small army! LOL!

It is better the next day. Just add a little water.

The noodles absorb a lot of liquid. You can also cook you noodles seperate (and store them seperate in the fridge). Only add them to the soup when you are serving them. It keeps the noodles from getting mushy.

Enjoy!