Mmmm ~ Grandma's Chicken Soup

I love a good bowl of homemade chicken soup! Especially when it's cold outside. My Baba always had a pot of chicken soup on the stove. You know what, I don't ever remember him being sick, ever! Hmmm. Anyway, I love cooking it as much as I enjoy eating it, and so does my Sweetie. All the kids and grandkids love eating it, too.

Sometimes I make it the easy way, using only boneless, skinless chicken breast, but when I'm making it because we're under the weather, the whole chicken goes in the pot! Scientists now say there is something about homemade chicken soup stock, from the whole chicken, that actually has healing properties!

You mean Grandma wasn't wrong all these years when she threw that big pot on the stove when the first hint of the cold and flu season started!  Since January, this is the third big pot I've made and I'm starting another one on Monday!

Here's my tried and true recipe. My Granny told me one time, everyone likes something different, start from a basic recipe and let everyone add what they want - so here goes.

1 TBS veg oil (this can be omitted)                                         
1 5 pound chicken                                                                    
1 cup celery - chopped                                                           
1 medium onion - chopped                                                     
1/2  pound carrots - diced                                                     
2 1 qt containers Kirkland Broth                                            
1 1qt water                                                                            
4 Herb Ox chicken bouillon cubes                                         
1/2 tsp GRANULATED GARLIC - NOT SALT                      
1/2 tsp GROUND WHITE PEPPER                                      
1 can 15oz green beans (cut in half)                                       

Cut chicken at joints, leg, thigh, wing (cutoff little end with no meat) cut chicken in half discarding entire back half, cut breast meat from bones and cut into manageable pieces.  Heat a very large stock pot, add oil and chicken, granulated garlic and white pepper and brown slightly.Add broth and bring to boil. Turn down heat, cover lightly, simmer until chicken falls off bones - will take a couple of hours.

While the chicken is cooking, chop veggies and get ready. 

Using a colander or strainer, pour chicken and stock into a second large pot or bowl.  Be sure to no bones are left in pot.  Transfer stock back to pot and bring back to a boil - keeping the chicken and bones in the strainer with a bowl or pot to catch any additional stock.   Throw in the veggies, bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer with loose lid.

De-bone chicken, removing all skin, bones, joints - etc.  (Honestly this doesn't take that long but it is why, when I'm in a hurry, I use bones, skinless chicken breast.)   Chop the chicken, and add back to pot with veggies, adding water and bouillon cubes, bring back to boil and simmer with loose lid for a couple more hours.
 

 And then - this ~~~

If you would like, you could add rice, potatoes, or pearl barley.  I've used all three (one at a time, of course) and I've also made little pasta stars, or Orzo - left them on the side and added them at the table.  It seems like it will be bland, but honestly, if you try it without any other spices, you may find you like all of the natural flavors as the ingredients meld together as they simmer.  If you use this recipe, or decide to repost it, I'd appreciate giving me credit for the recipe.  This is published in my own cookbook.

This freezes excellently, and we put it through "My Fitness Pal" for those on a diet (like we are) and a two cup serving is only 171 calories!!  What we've been doing is cutting this to 1 cup of soup, adding a medium, loaded baked potato, and a large green salad (going with a small amount of dressing) and we are having a quite filling dinner for less than 300 calories!

Blessings to all, stay healthy and warm!
Hugs,
Donna