Chicken Soup - for Jessica

Jessica has been cooking quite a bit lately, and asked how to make chicken soup. Here is the quickest way to make chicken soup that tastes good, originally posted on this site November 8, 2008. On a cold blustery Chicagoland day, nothing gives added humidity and warmth to the kitchen better then a large pot of soup simmering on the stove. A pot of potato leek is simmering on mine as I write this.

Easy Chicken Soup:
4 cans (14 oz.) of Swanson's Chicken Broth (without MSG)
1-2 carrots diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
1-2 cups of shredded or cut up cooked chicken breast.

Simmer for 10 minutes. Then add Yolkless Egg Noodles, cook 5 minutes and enjoy. Serves 6 and takes about 30 minutes from kitchen to bowl.

Homemade Dumplings for Soup:
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
Salt and pepper
Mix together to form a thick dough. Drop by spoonful into boiling water or broth. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, not peeking. Uncover and enjoy. Dried parsley or dill can be added to dough prior to boiling for additional flavor. Dumplings can be made large, or small, your choice. I make them small for a chicken soup broth.

Easy but longer to make Chicken Soup:
Place a washed whole chicken in 5-6 quarts of water in a large pot.
Add 2 cloves of garlic, 1 large onion cut into quarters (this can be removed later)
4 scallions (if you have them) cut into 2 inch pieces
4 carrots peels and cut into 2 inch pieces
4-6 stalks of celery cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 cup dried parsley or 2 cups fresh cut parsley
2 bay leaves
Slowly bring this mixture to a boil, then simmer for four hours. To strain, place a large bowl in the sink, and inside the bowl place a colander. Pour the soup mixture into the colander, catching the broth in the bowl. Lift out the colander containing the chicken mixture. Pour the liquid broth back into the large pot. Allow chicken mixture to coo, then slowly remove chicken from the bones, placing chicken back into the strained broth. Add salt and pepper to taste, and noodles of your choice.

Enjoy the soup. In this economy, every meal should start with a bowl of homemade soup that adds needed nutrients and fills the tummy.

Photo attribution: somewhatfrank