The skies have been overcast and gray for what seems like a lifetime. The only rays of sunshine have come in the forms of a bouquet of white tulips, spending time in the company of friends, and bowls of this Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup. All things giving me the added perseverance to keep going until the return of the sun and blue skies. Although once they return, I don't see any reason to stop buying one of my favorite flowers, to spending time with my favorite peeps, and from stop making this soul satisfying, divinely scrumptious, craveworthy, savory chicken soup.
Who doesn't love a bowl of hot chicken soup on a chilly or cold day? It's tantamount to being considered comfort food on overload. Especially one flavored with fresh herbs as well as being heavily loaded with vegetables, tender pieces of shredded chicken, and tender wide enriched egg noodles. The flavors in this Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup are as far from the cans of chicken soup some of us grew up on or the gummy noodle versions served in various 'food establishments' as is the moon. It's the soup you didn't know you have been craving until you take your first spoonful.
What makes this soup so hearty is the almost higher ratio of chicken and vegetables to the broth. Giving it more of a hearty lunch or light supper consistency. Served with a torn up baguette or thick slices of sourdough bread (and don't forget the butter), the Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup makes for the kind of meal you want to serve to family and friends. Or want to bring to friends on the mend.
The keys to a chicken soup having a great depth of flavor are ingredients and time. Shortchange either one of these and you will sacrifice the soup's flavor. There are no shortcuts to the making of an exceptional chicken soup. Onions, shallots, garlic, carrots, celery, fresh herbs (sage, thyme, rosemary), bay leaves, bone-in chicken pieces, organic or free-range chicken broth, the rind from a piece of Parmigiano-Reggianno, and extra-wide enriched egg noodles are the ingredients responsible for giving this soup its' incredible flavorsomeness and body. With a cooking time close to at least two hours, the vegetables and chicken turn tender while the herb bundle and cheese rind transform take responsibility for transforming it from an ordinary soup into something a bit extraordinary.
As the soup simmers, the leaves from the herbs will break loose from their stems and permeate the broth. The cheese on the rind will melt into the broth. And the bone-in pieces of chicken will easily shred when removed from the broth. The bones in the chicken will give the broth an unparalleled flavor boost. As bones give soup more nourishment and body due in large part to the collagen contained within them. Whether you cut up a whole chicken or buy the chicken already cut up will not matter. At the end of the cooking process you will want at least 1 1/4 pounds of shredded chicken meat. If you have more than that, use it to make some chicken salad. Or if you want an even heartier soup use up to 1 1/2 pounds of chicken meat.
When buy enriched egg noodles, look for the widest noodles you can find. There are 12 ounces of noodles in most noodle packages but you only want to use 8 ounces (about 2-3 cups). The base recipe calls for the use of 10 cups of free-range (organic) chicken broth. If you want your soup brothier, add in up to 2 additional cups. We liked it heartier so I kept the amount of broth to 10 cups.
Fresh parsley and shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are the soup's finishing touches. Leaving them out would be akin to leaving the jelly off of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or leaving flaky sea salt off of a chocolate chip cookie.
There are a plethora of chicken soup recipes out there all claiming to be the most delicious, the best, the most old-fashioned. However, if you want a robustly flavored chicken soup recipe worthy of passing down in your family or worthy of you earning the title of chicken soup goddess (or god) in your circle of friends, the recipe for this Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup is the only one you want. It's the throw down worthy version of chicken soups! And beyond how satisfying it is, it is destined to brighten up the cloudiest, grayest of days.
Last, but not least, the notes following the directions are as important as the directions themselves.
Recipe
Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup
Generously serves at least 8
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow or Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 large shallots, sliced (about 1/8" thickness)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 large ribs of celery, cut and sliced (about 1/4" thickness)
7 good sized carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally (about 3/8" thickness)
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 sprigs of fresh sage
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Rind from a piece of Parmigiano-Reggiano
10 -12 cups free-range or organic chicken broth (See notes)
4 pound chicken, spatchcocked, then remove breasts (leaving in bone) and legs/thighs (leaving in bone) - Or 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 pounds bone-in breasts and bone-in thighs - You want a total yield of about 1 1/4 pounds of shredded meat -See Notes
8 ounces wide enriched egg noodles - See Notes
Fresh Parsley
Shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh bread
Directions
1. In a large cast iron Dutch Oven, heat the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted add in the onions, shallots, garlic, celery and carrots. Mix well. Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes or until the vegetables have slightly softened. They will continue to cook throughout the cooking process. Note: Putting a lid on the pot will help soften (steam) the vegetables.
2. Tie together the sprigs of thyme, sage, and rosemary with kitchen string to create an herb bundle.
3. Add the herb bundle and 10 cups of chicken broth to the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring the broth to a boil.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low and add in the bay leaves, Kosher salt, pepper, Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, and chicken. Cook for approximately 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low-simmer and continue cooking for another 60 minutes. Note: Put lid on top of the pot but don't completely seal, allowing some of the heat to escape.
5. Remove the chicken from the pot. Shred the chicken with a fork. You are looking for yield of approximately 1 1/4 pounds of shredded light and dark meat.
6. Return the shredded chicken back to the Dutch Oven. Continue to simmer for another 20-30 minutes.
7. Remove the rind, bay leaves, and the herb bundle. Increase the heat to medium-high and add in the egg noodles. Cook for approximately 8-10 minutes or until noodles are done. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt and/or pepper if needed.
8. Ladle generous portions of the Hearty Homemade Chicken Soup into bowls. Top each bowl with a generous helping of shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano and chopped parsley. Serve with some thick slices or chunks of fresh bread (e.g., sourdough loaf, baguette, etc.)
9. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator or put them in plastic containers and freeze to enjoy later.
Notes: (1) For the best flavor, use fresh chicken versus an already cooked rotisserie chicken. Buy a 4 pound cut up chicken or one whole you can cut yourself. You will only put the breasts/wings and legs/thighs into the pot. If you can't find a whole 4 pound chicken, then buy at least 2 1/4-2 1/2 pounds of bone-in breasts/wings and bone-in legs/thighs. Either option should get you approximately 1 1/4 pounds of shredded chicken. The amount you need for this hearty soup. (2) I used the extra wide enriched egg noodles from Gia Russa. Most egg noodles come in 12 ounce packages, however, you only need 8 ounces for this soup. If you want your soup heavy on the noodles add up to 10 ounces. You may need to add additional broth. (3) We like our soup very hearty, so I made it with 10 cups of the chicken broth. If you want it slightly more brothy add up to 2 additional cups. I used the Free Range Chicken Broth made by Pacifica Foods. (4) I used rainbow carrots to make this soup, but if you want your soup to be studded with the bright orange color coming from 'regular' carrots, then use them.