Chicken Soup

If you need a break from the heavy food and treats of the holiday season, put a pot of chicken soup on your stove. Serve it with toast or warm dinner rolls, and your family will think they've died and gone to Heaven.

It's so, so good for your heart and soul and mind.

 

 

Throw a chicken in a pot.

 

 

 

Place a bayleaf right in the middle of the chicken, because it looks nifty.

 

 

 

Peel several carrots and several parsnips.

I want to marry parsnips. I want them in my life forever. I want to lock them in. I need a firm commitment.

 

 

 

Chop up some onion…

 

 

 

Slice up some celery…

 

 

 

Then chop up the carrots and parsnips in chunks.

 

 

 

Shortcut alert! Unsalted chicken broth, baby. Why? Because of the flavor and the color. Just use enough to cover the chicken about 3/4 of the way up. OR you can use half broth and half water. OR you can use 2/3 broth and 1/3 water. OR you can use 2/3 water and 1/3 broth. Whatever floats your boat!

 

 

 

Then throw in the carrots and parsnips…

 

 

 

And the onions and the celery and a teaspoon or so of salt. (You can add more later if you need to.)

 

 

 

Bring the contents of the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer it for a good hour-and-a-half or two hours so that the flavors will meld and become beautiful and deep and magical.

 

 

 

At the end of the cooking time, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate or cutting board.

 

 

 

Remove as much of the meat as you can, then shred it or chop it into pieces.

 

 

 

Return the chicken to the pot and keep it on a simmer until you're ready to serve the soup. Give it a taste and add a little more salt if it needs it.

 

 

 

After you dish it up, sprinkle on a little black pepper. Yum!

 

 

 

This soup is very, very chunky. I should have called it Chunky Chicken Soup. Live and learn.

You can alter this as much as you'd like by adding fewer vegetables or more liquid. But I love it chunky. The carrots are dreamy, the celery tender and divine, and the parsnips…my goodness. They're so absolutely delicious.

 

 

 

Here's the printable!


Recipe: Chicken Soup

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
 | 
Cook Time: 2 Hours
 | 
Difficulty: Easy
 | 
Servings: 12

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Ingredients
1 whole Chicken1 whole Bay Leaf64 ounces, fluid Unsalted (or Low Sodium) Chicken Broth (you May Use Half Broth And Half Water If Desired.)1 whole Large Onion, Chopped3 whole Ribs Of Celery, Sliced3 whole Carrots, Peeled And Chopped3 whole Parsnips, Peeled And Chopped1/2 teaspoon Salt Ground Black Pepper Preparation Instructions

Place all ingredients but the pepper into a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until chicken is done, vegetables are tender, and soup flavor is divine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve in a bowl, then sprinkle black pepper over the top.

*Note: Adjust broth levels and/or vegetable amounts as needed.

Posted by Ree on December 14 2011