“Ladies – since it’s January and cold & flu season, what better time for a homemade chicken soup recipe? You can make it in advance (when you’re not sick) and freeze it for when you need it. Or, if someone in your family is now sick, now’s the perfect time to cook up a batch. You can also add noodles or other vegetables to it also. Chicken soup is one of my favorite “comfort foods” and it’s so yummy to relax and enjoy a bowl of soup while you’re sitting on the couch all warm and cozy watching television! Enjoy!”
Once you have learned the basic chicken soup, you can divide the broth and meat, then add a variety of different ingredients to make endless combinations!
Buy whole chicken on sale and freeze until ready. There is no need to thaw the chicken before cooking in the soup pot! Make sure you take out the liver, as it makes the soup bitter.
Basic Chicken Soup
large stock pot
1 3 1/2 pound whole chicken (or 3 1/2 pounds chicken parts such as legs, back, neck)
3 quarts water
2 medium carrots, halved
2 med. onions, halved
2 stalks celery, halved (use the leaves too)
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. salt
Bring all ingredients just to boil in the large stock pot. Skim off foam and discard. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 2 1/2 hours or until the chicken is very tender.
Strain the liquid, cool and refrigerate so the fat can be removed easily. Let the meat cool until it can be handled. Remove meat from the bones. Discard the bones.
Skim fat from the broth; you can freeze this up to 6 months.
Makes 12 cups broth and 4 cups of meat.