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Title: Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
Categories: Soups
Yield: 3 Quarts

1 tb Vegetable oil
4 lb Chicken
2 md Onions; cut in medium dice
2 qt Water; boiling
Salt
2 Bay leaves
1 lg Carrot; peeled;
- sliced 1/4" thick
1 Celery rib;
- sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 ts Dried thyme
2 c Wide egg noodles (3 oz)
1/4 c Parsley; minced
Ground black pepper

Step One:

Cut up the chicken--remove and split the breast, then cut the
remainder into 2" pieces. Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil
shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; saute until
brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add half the chopped onions to kettle; saute until colored and
softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set
aside. Add half the chicken pieces, saute until no longer pink, 4 to
5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Saute remaining chicken
pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces, excluding breasts, to
kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases
its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high, add boiling
water along with both breast halves, 2 ts salt, and bay leaves.
Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts
are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.

Step Two:

Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to
handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and
shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Strain broth;
discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tb.

Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Step Three:

Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add
remaining onions, along with carrot and celery; saute until softened,
about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer
until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add
noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust
seasoning, stir in parsley, and serve.

Orzo And Spring Vegetables Variation:

Follow steps one and two of base recipe. In step three, substitute 1
md leek, rinsed thoroughly, quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced
crosswise, for 1 onion. Substitute 1/2 cup orzo for egg noodles.
Along with orzo, add 1/4 lb trimmed asparagus, cut in 1" lengths, and
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas. Substitute 2 tb minced tarragon leaves
for the parsley.

Leeks, Wild Rice, and Mushrooms Variation:

Follow steps one and two of base recipe. While broth is simmering,
cook 1/2 cup wild rice, following package directions. Use 1 cup hot
chicken broth to rehydrate 1/2 oz dried wild mushrooms, about 30
minutes. In step three, substitute 1 leek, rinsed thoroughly,
quartered lengthwise, then thinly sliced crosswise, for 1 onion and
omit celery. When leek and carrot have softened, about 5 minutes, add
1/4 lb sliced mushrooms, domestic or wild; continue to saute until
mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes more. Drain and chop dried
wild mushrooms; reserve soaking broth. Pour soaking broth through
strainer lined with coffee filter to remove grit. Add this liquid and
the dried mushrooms, along with chicken broth, to kettle. Simmer
according to base recipe, stirring in cooked rice during last 5
minutes of cooking.

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, Apr 1996

Posted by: Diane Lazarus

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