Chicken Noodle Soup

Makes you feel better even if you don't have a cold.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American, European

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Shredding/Finishing 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings 10 or more

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.

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.

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.