Chicken Soup

[lvdkeyes]

Chicken Soup
1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows

Directions
To start the chicken: Place the chicken, celery, onion, carrots, bay leaves, bouillon, and house seasoning in a large pot. Add 4 quarts of water and in water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard it and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot.

Note: If you want it with less fat you can refrigerate it and when the fat rises to the top and solidifies scrape it off and discard it.

For those who want noodles in the soup. Cook them separately and add to a bowl and ladle the soup over the noodles. If you cook the noodles in the soup and there is any left over the noodles will continue to soak up the soup and get mushy.

If you want chicken and dumplings, add a can of cream of chicken soup at the end and drop your dumplings into the simmering soup.

House Seasoning:
• 1 cup salt
• 1/4 cup black pepper
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Yield: 1 1/2 cups

[thaiworthy]

Thanks!

[lvdkeyes]

Welcome! Let us know how you like it.

[Jason1988]

When I get back to the USA I'm going to try this and some of your other recipes. You must be an amazing cook!

[lvdkeyes]

Thanks, I enjoy cooking and I like good food, so I try many recipes and keep the ones that are to my liking.

[thaiworthy]

I did actually make this last week. It was pretty good, except I couldn't find a 2.5 lb chicken, they were all 5 lbs., so I made a double batch. (or I suppose I could have made something else with the other 1/2 chicken, but my math doesn't work so well in the kitchen).

My pot wasn't big enough for 8 quarts of water plus all else, so I didn't use that much water, (perhaps 2/3 of what was called for). It turned out pretty good, but I won't make that double batch again. It makes a lot of soup!

This is me in the kitchen:

[lvdkeyes]

What you bought is a stewing hen which has better flavor, but requires longer cooking. Fryers are about 2 1/2 pounds. You can also use cut up pieces.

[thaiworthy]

What you bought is a stewing hen which has better flavor, but requires longer cooking. Fryers are about 2 1/2 pounds. You can also use cut up pieces.

That's interesting. How do you know when to use fryers for stewing? Shouldn't fryers be fried and stewers stewed?

It's no wonder Lucy was confused. So am I!

[lvdkeyes]

LOL, Yes, in theory, you are right, but you can stew a fryer, but not fry a stewing hen. Stewing hens are older birds and tougher, so they need longer cooking. Fryers are younger birds, more tender, but can be cooked longer if you prefer. Another addition could be chicken feet. They add a lot of flavor.

To make soup from a stewing hen and not have gallons of soup you can cut the hen in half and freeze half for the next time you want to make soup.