I believe some old fashion recipes are important to have in a cooking repertoire. Chicken noodle soup is one of them, because it is not just tasty, but nutritious, healthy, and helps soothe whatever is ailing anyone, with all the vitamins from the veggies and the protein from the chicken. I know that this recipe will carry me many years to make for my family, whether for sick little ones, to warm the tummy, or as a to be cherished comfort food. Prep is simple, crockpot does majority of the work, ingredients simple.
Ingredients:
1 whole fryer chicken
2 cartons Kitchen Basics Chicken Broth
4 large celery stalk sticks-3 chopped, one cut in half
3 large carrots-2 chopped, one cut in half
2 yellow onions-1 quartered, one chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 package whole wheat flat noodles (or whatever type of noodle you prefer)
Seasonings: salt, pepper, sage, rosemary, mustard seed, thyme (have all on hand and add to taste, gonna need to season this generously, but to your standards and desires, I love flavor, so I was very generous-especially salt and pepper!)
Appliances:
1 large oval crockpot, large enough to hold chicken and the broth
1 Large skillet
Directions:
1. Let's start with the mirepoix (pronounced meer-pwa). Put the skillet on med-high heat, add in olive oil. When you feel the warmth on your hand hovering over the skillet, add in the chopped onion, chopped carrots, chopped celery and minced garlic. Distribute the mirepoix to incorporate the oil, and continue to saute, lowering heat if needed-no browning. All veggies should become soft and translucent. Might take 15 mins to get desired consistency.
2. Turn on crockpot to high.
3. Next, combine 1 Tbsp. each of the seasonings to make a dry rub, and rub this onto entire whole chicken-wash your hands afterwards!! Place quartered onion, carrot cut in half and celery stalk stick cut in half, and insert into the empty chicken cavity, legs should be tied-I found the chicken at Fresh & Easy, already ready to use, no yucky cleaning out cavity, and already tied perfectly. Place chicken into crockpot, add in the broth. Add generous salt and pepper to the broth, and let this all sit for 3-4 hours, turning chicken over once or twice-broth might not cover chicken, and that is ok, but turning it to coat it is key to tenderness and flavor.
4. After 4th hour, remove chicken from pot, remove onion/celery/carrot from cavity and disgard. Remove string. Chicken should be fal off the bone tender. Begin pulling meat from bones, disgarding fat if desired as well, using tongs and fork. Once meat off all bones, using two forks, shred meat into strands, leaving some whole pieces if desired. Once shredded, add back to crock pot, taste broth for savor level, and reduce heat to low for 2-3 hours.
5. Finally, add in noodles in last 1/2 hour, remember to taste broth again to see if salt/pepper needed, prior to noodles and after. If too salty, add in some water.
6. Remove from heat, let stand for 15 minutes off of heat, in a soup terene for example then serve. This is so delicious, and will receive praise and cheers.
I will attempt to make leftovers into various international soups, such as adding Asian ingredients for a "pho". Once you have this base, you can morph left overs into your desires.
Bon appetit!!