There are so many ways to cook chicken noodle soup. And I've tried a handful of them. All have been good BUT this one is the very best. It's a marathon guys but the flavor is so worth it.
Brian got this new cookbook a few months back, America's Test Kitchen. I think this has been our first recipe to try? We started this one Sunday afternoon while the girls were sleeping. We had some friends stop by during the cooking so I feel like it took longer but I think it was just that we took turns, cooking in shifts. I felt like I was in that challenge on Top Chef where someone starts the dish and the others come in to finish-- having to figure out where the last chef was going with everything? Luckily we had a recipe to follow.
Brian broke down the chicken with his meat cleaver from Emily. She got it for his birthday. Such a thoughtful little girl. This has become one of his favorite things to do. After the chicken was ready...we cooked. And I forgot to take more pictures. So once you check out the recipe, scroll back to the top and check out the finished product. She's pretty.
Ingredients
STOCK
1 3.5/4lb whole chicken, cut into 7 pieces
1T vegetable oil
1 onion
8C water
2t salt
2 bay leaves
SOUP
1T vegetable oil
1T vegetable oil
1 onion
1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4 thick
1 celery rib, slicked 1/4 thick
1t minced fresh thyme or 1/4t dried
2 ounces (2 cups) wide egg noodles
2T minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper
Prepare Stock: cut 1 (3.5 to 4 lb) chicken into 7 pieces. 2 split breasts, 2 legs, 2 wings, and backbone. Set breasts aside, then hack remaining chicken into 2-inch pieces with cleaver.
Heat 1T vegetable oil in dutch oven over medium-high heat, until just smoking. Add breasts and brown lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer breasts to plate and set aside. Add half of chicken pieces and brown lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to large bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces and transfer to bowl.
Add 1 chopped onion to fat left in pot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Return chicken pieces (not breasts) and any accumulated juices to the pot. Cover and reduce heat to low.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken has released it juices, about 20 minutes. Add reserved chicken breasts, 8 cups water, 2t salt, and 2 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to gentle simmer, and cook, skimming as needed, until chicken breasts register 160-165 degrees, about 20 minutes.
Remove chicken breasts from pot and let cool slightly. Strain stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large liquid measuring cup or bowl. Let stock settle for 5-10 minutes. Wash and dry dutch oven. Defat stock by skimming using wise, shallow spoon or fat separator.
Prepare Soup. Mince 1 onion. Slice 1 peeled carrot and 1 celery rib 1/4 thick. Heat 1T vegetable oil in dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, 5-7 minutes. Stir in 1t minced fresh thyme and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to simmer and cook until vegetables are nearly tender, 6-8 minutes. Stir in 2C wide egg noodles and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Remove skin and shred chicken into bite-size pieces using two forks. Discard skin and bones.
Stir in shredded chicken and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in 2T minced fresh parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve and enjoy.
XOXO
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