How To Make Homemade Chicken Soup

By Shiloah Baker

Once you have learned the basic chicken soup, you can divide the broth and meat, then add a variety of different ingredients to make endless combinations!

Buy whole chicken on sale and freeze until ready.  There is no need to thaw the chicken before cooking in the soup pot!  Make sure you take out the liver, as it makes the soup bitter.
 

Basic Chicken Soup   

large stock pot
1 3 1/2 pound whole chicken (or 3 1/2 pounds chicken parts such as legs, back, neck)
3 quarts water
2 medium carrots, halved
2 med. onions, halved
2 stalks celery, halved (use the leaves too)
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tsp. salt

Bring all ingredients just to boil in the large stock pot.  Skim off foam and discard.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 2 1/2 hours or until the chicken is very tender.

Strain the liquid, cool and refrigerate so the fat can be removed easily.  Let the meat cool until it can be handled.  Remove meat from the bones.  Discard the bones.

Skim fat from the broth; you can freeze this up to 6 months.

Makes 12 cups broth and 4 cups of meat.

Some Variations:

Milwaukee:  4 cups cubed raw potatoes, 4 cups shredded cabbage, 1/2 cup diced smoked sausages, 1/2 tsp. caraway seeds.
Serve sprinkled with chopped celery leaves and a little vinegar if desired.

San Francisco: 3 cups fine egg noodles, 2 cups frozen peas, 2 tbl. soy sauce, 1/2 tsp. ground ginger.  Just before serving, whisk in 1 beaten egg.  Sprinkle with scallions.

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