Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken noodle Soup for the cold…. you might have guessed it, I wasn’t feeling well recently. I received my umpteenth cold from one of my kids, I’m sure this is nothing new to most parents. Funny, I rarely got sick before kids, now I can’t seem to escape anything. I still love them, but honestly boys stop touching everything and start washing your hands more grrrrr 😉 .
The easiest chicken noodle soup ever
Ok, back to the easiest Chicken Noodle Soup you will ever make, minus opening a box and adding water. What really adds flavour to this Soup is fortifying the Stock with a whole Chicken. Don’t be scared, the term fortifying basically means to add more flavour to an existing Stock.
Because we are adding more Chicken Flavour with a Whole Chicken I like to use half Chicken Stock and half Water. Get yourself a deep pot, add the Stock, Water, Whole Chicken and Bouquet Garni.
Bouquet Garni
A Bouquet Garni is handful of flavourful additions that aren’t intended to be in the finish product. In this case we are using Parsley, Thyme, Bay Leaves and Peppercorns wrapped up in some Cheesecloth. If you don’t have Cheesecloth you can tie the Parsley and Thyme together and strain the Peppercorns and Bay Leaves out later.
Simmer Please don’t boil
   Bring everything up to a simmer over medium heat then reduce to low and simmer for at least an hour. We don’t want to have it on a boil because that will churn all the scum from the Chicken into the soup base. Having it on a simmer will allow you to scoop any scum that rises to the surface. Thus making your Soup Base clearer and more appealing.
   After about an hour the Chicken should be cooked. Remove the Chicken into a bowl to cool and remove the Bouquet Garni into the garbage. If you have been skimming the top of the stock you may not need to strain it.
   If you feel there is a little too much scum floating around you can remove most of it by straining. Wet some Cheesecloth and line a fine mesh sieve with it, then gentley ladle this wonderful Soup Stock into another bowl. Return the Chicken Stock into your pot and wait for the Chicken to cool.
Once the Chicken is cooled remove the skin and start shredding the meat. I find the easiest way to shred is with my hands, just tear into the meat. Break it into whatever size chunks you like, then place them back into the Stock.
lets finish the Chicken Noodle soup and get back to the couch
Turn the heat back on and once again bring it back to a simmer. As the heat is coming back up grate a couple of Carrots and measure out the Soup Noodles. Once it is at a simmer add the Soup Noodles and cook until they’re done.
The grated Carrots go in last because they cook so quickly.. add them to the Stock right before serving. By the time you reach the table they will have already softened.
There you have it, seems like a lot of instruction for something that is supposed to be so simple. Trust me once you start making this Chicken Noodle Soup it’s so easy you can make it even if you are the one with the cold. Add some Banana Bread and you might never leave the couch again.
Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Chicken
- 8 C Chicken Stock
- 8 C Water
- 2 Large Carrots
- 2 C Soup Noodles
- Salt & Pepper Salt, Salt and more Salt
Bouquet Garni
- 5-8 Dried Peppercorns
- 1 Bunch Parsley Stems cut stems off and save leaves for something else
- 6-8 Thyme Sprigs Don’t be stingy, large sprigs
- 2-3 Bay Leaves
Instructions
Put Together the Bouquet Garni
- If you are using cheesecloth, grab a piece about 6 inches square. Load up the middle with the Peppercorns, Bay Leaves, Parsley and Thyme. Cut off a piece of butchers twine, pull up the edges of the cheesecloth to close in the aromatics and tie the top with the twine. Put aside.
Fortifying
- Time to flavour up.. put the chicken in the bottom of a deep pot. Don't forget to cut off any trussing that might be holding it together. Pour the Stock and Water into the pot, add the Bouquet Garni and turn the heat on.
- Now I am going to tell you to add a lot of salt to this soup and I don;t want you to be afraid. Remember there is a lot of water and chicken stocks which usually don't have much Salt. So don't be afraid.. hopefully you'll thank me in the end.
- Back to the Chicken Noodle Soup, while the Stock is heating up lets add 2-3 LARGE pinches of Salt. Once the Stock starts to reach the bubbling stage turn the heat to low, we want to simmer not boil.
- Why simmer you ask 🙂 well let me tell you. All meat has what are call impurities that add nothing to our Stocks or Soups but do make them cloudy and less attractive. When we Boil these impurites they get churned around and broken up but when we simmer… they mostly float to the top. This allows us to scoop them off the top with a ladle and finish with a much clearer sexy looking Soup
- Once again back to our Soup, simmer for about an hour plus. After an hour remove the cooked Chicken and put it in a bowl to cool so you can remove the meat. Pull the Bouquet Garni out and thrown it in the garbage, it has done all it can do.
Turning an amazing Stock into a beautiful Soup
- At this point if you skimmed the top of the stock as it was cooking all the impurities will be gone. If not, line a fine mesh sieve with Cheesecloth ( if you have it ) and strain liquid though into a bowl. Return the Stock to the Pot.
- Once the Chicken has cooled start by removing and discarding the skin. Now, get your hands dirty and tear into the meat. You can use forks if you like but I find it takes too long so I like using my fingers. Tear all the Meat into pieces small enough to fit on a spoon but large enough so they don't disintegrate. Add the Chicken Meat back into the stock.
- Bring the Stock back up to a simmer and add the Noodles. Now would be a good time to add two, three maybe even four more large pinches of Salt and a pinch of Pepper. Make sure you add enough Salt or it will be bland.
- Once the Noodles are cooked and you have seasoned to your liking, add the grated Carrots. Ladle into a bowl, go back to the couch, pull your blanket up sit back relax and enjoy.