Chicken Soup - For the Soul and My Cold

This weeks post comes out of necessity!  The FoodBuzz Challenge #4 is to use photography to create a step-by-step, instructional tutorial.  I was all set to make a gorgeous fruit tart when luck would have it, I got a cold (I never get sick)!  So I did what my mom would do and made a healthy chicken soup.  She always says chicken soup makes you feel better.  Whether or not this is scientifically true, it always seems to do the trick.  In addition, it's so easy to make and tastes wonderful.  It also gave me an opportunity to use some gorgeous carrots and herbs from my garden.  By the time I made this post live, the soup had done its trick and got me back to feeling great!

The following Chicken Soup recipe will make roughly 8 hearty bowls.  Leftovers freeze great and taste better the next day!

STEP ONE: 
Roughly Chop: 2 Carrots, 1 onion, 1 shallot,
2 stalks celery and 3 pieces of ginger

STEP TWO:
Rinse 3-4 pounds of chicken parts (I used breasts)

Leave the skin on and bones in – these add flavor!

We will skim the fat later

STEP THREE:

Place chicken in a large pot, add chopped veggies as well as:

1 handful fresh parsley, ½ a lemon, 6 cloves peeled garlic,
2 bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste

Add enough cool water to cover chicken

Bring to a boil then simmer on low for 3 hours

 

  
STEP FOUR:
Remove solids – discard everything but the chicken breasts

Allow broth to cool and place in refrigerator overnight

Your beautiful chicken stock is finished and ready for soup!

STEP FIVE:
When chicken has cooled, gently pull apart with fingers

Discard bones

Save reserved chicken in a separate bowl until needed

STEP SIX:
Dice: 2 Carrots, 1 onion, 1 shallot,
2 stalks celery and 4 red potatoes

 

STEP SEVEN:

In a soup pot over medium heat:

Add onions and cook until wilted
Add shallots and garlic and cook until golden
Add carrots, celery, potatoes and a generous sprinkling of salt & pepper
Cook for 5 minutes

STEP EIGHT:
Remove stock from refrigerator
With a spoon, skim fat from surface

Pour into soup pot through a strainer
Bring soup to a boil
Add chicken back to soup along with torn up pieces of escarole
Cook soup for 2 more minutes

LAST STEP!

Serve soup over your choice of noodles or rice (I used egg noodles).   Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and  serve with a hearty bread!!  I know not everyone adds potatoes to their chicken soup, but I was craving something a little more hearty.  The lemon and ginger make the broth beautifully fragrant.  Also, the soup can be served the same day the stock is made.  I like making the stock a day before making the soup because it makes the soup much more flavorful. 

I hope you've enjoyed reading about my therapeutic chicken soup!  If you like my FoodBuzz Blogger Challenge posts please vote to keep me in the competition & also feel free to comment! I love reading your thoughts and suggestions.

Enjoy!!