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Chicken Noodle Soup

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Time: 5-6 hours (easy to make, but waiting for the chicken to slow cook takes time)

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients (First List)

  • Whole chicken (approximately 3 lbs; remove the “innards”)
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 large onion – chopped
  • ½ cup fresh parsley – chopped
  • 2 stalks celery with leaves – chopped
  • 5 whole peppercorns
  • 6 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tablespoons chicken soup base
  • 2 bay leaves
  • ¼ teaspoon dried celery seed
  • Dash of dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Ingredients (Second List)

  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • ¼ cup minced onions
  • 1 tablespoon minced parsley
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (can add a little cayenne as well if you like a kick)
  • ½ cup rice (uncooked) OR 1 lb fusilli or rotelle

Recipe

  • Combine first list of ingredients above: chicken, water, onion, celery, parsley, peppercorns, bouillon/soup base, bay leaves, celery seed, thyme and salt in large pot (water should cover chicken so don’t use a pot that is too large/wide).
  • Cook over low heat for 3-4 hours and keep covered.
  • Remove chicken from pot and allow it to cool.
  • Strain vegetables and spices from broth and discard (because all flavor has been sucked out).
  • Put broth in refrigerator to cool for 30-90 minutes.
  • Remove skin and bones from chicken – cut or tear meat into bite-sized pieces.
  • Skim/remove fat from top of cooled broth.
  • Bring broth to a boil.
  • Add second list of ingredients to the broth, including the chicken.
  • In a separate pot, cook the pasta according to instructions (if you cook it separately, it keeps the soup from getting too starchy)
  • Simmer for approximately 30 minutes until vegetables are cooked but not too soft – this makes a large bowl of soup so if you are making it to reheat again later they’ll get softer.

Wine Suggestions: If you enjoy the complimentary flavors and textures – then a creamy white, such as a buttery California Chardonnay, is a nice compliment to this soup. However, if you prefer something more contrasting, I think a crisp white with good acidity is wonderful to cut through the oiliness that comes through in the chicken. The photo above was when we tried it with a a very light, fairly high-acid red (Arbois) and it was nice, but not a fantastic pairing.  I’d have prefered a light White Burgundy with some beautiful lemony flavors.


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