Chicken noodle soup
* 1 (3.5 lb) whole chicken or equivalent weight in thighs
* 3 quarts low sodium chicken broth (i use saved broth from past batches or bone broth made earlier and saved)
* 6 carrots peeled
* 4 stalks celery, ends trimmed
* 3 medium onions, peeled
* 5 black peppercorns
* 1 clove garlic
* 10 sprigs parsley
* 2 sprigs thyme
* 1 Bay leaf
2 TBS butter or Olive oil
* 4 leeks, tops and root ends removed (optional)
* 1 tsp salt
* 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
* 3 cups (5-8 oz) medium egg noodles (homemade prepared)
Place the chicken and broth in a large stockpot and set it over medium heat. Roughly chop 2 carrots, 2 celery ribs, 1 onion and add the broth. Add the peppercorns, garlic, 2 sprigs of parsley, thyme, Bay leaf, and enough water to just cover the chicken. Bring broth to a boil, reduce heat to a summer, and cook until the chicken is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours, skimming the surface periodically (I always skip that). Remove the chicken and place in a large bowl. Strain the broth through a very fine sieve into a large, clean bowl or stockpot. Discard the vegetables.
Skim any fat off the top of the strained broth and discard. Slice the remaining carrots, celery, onions, and leeks into 1/4 inch thick pieces and set aside. Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Cut the meat into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside. Chop the remaining parsley leaves and set aside. Melt the butter (or heat oil) in a large Dutch oven over medium heat or in the bottom of the stockpot. Add the vegetables and cook until the onions are translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken, the reserved broth, salt, and pepper. Simmer the soup until the vegetables are tender, about 1 hour. Stire in the egg noodles and parsley and cook until the noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot.
This recipe does take a while to make but it's always delicious! I always skip the leeks, substitute dried herbs, and make homemade noodles. I love it! My big batch today was a quadruple batch and I think the pot I used (my pressure canner) is a 22 quart?