Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, with bones and skin attached
2 whole carrots, cleaned, not skinned, cut in 2-inch chunks
1 large onions, quartered
3 stalks celery, cleaned, leaves attached, cut in 2-inch chunks
6 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
12 cups water
2 cups chopped carrots
2 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped parsley
salt and pepper
cooked noodles (optional) or cooked rice (optional)
Directions:
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
Roast chicken breasts with large chunk-veggies in a large dutch at 400 F until done, 35-45 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan and cool.
Remove meat from breasts and reserve.
Place skin and bones back into the dutch oven.
Place pan back on stove over a medium heat, stirring occasionally until contents are well browned.
Add small amount of water to pan and bring to a boil, stir to remove all brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add remaining water and peppercorns, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook, partially covered, for 1 1/2 – 2 hours.
Skim as required.
Add more water if level gets too low.
You can add any other herbs that you like at this time.
I like thyme and basil, but nothing is required.
Remove dutch oven from heat, skim fat off surface and strain liquid into a soup pot.
Place soup pot over medium heat and bring stock to a boil.
Add chopped veggies and parsley and lower heat to maintain a good rolling boil.
Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are tender and sweet.
Lower heat to simmer.
Adjust water to suit your own tastes add more if you want more, weaker, broth.
If desired add some frozen vegetables at this time.
A bit of corn and lima beans are good, While the veggies are boiling chop reserved chicken and prepare your noodles.
Add chicken to pot and stir.
Don’t add the chicken too early or it will be shredded.
Adjust seasoning.
Place noodles or rice in bottom of a soup bowl, ladle a generous amount of soup over it.
Don’t add your rice/pasta to the main soup bowl–it will quickly over cook and become mush (and ruin all your leftovers!).
Servings: Serve
Time preparation: 20 min.
Time total: 170 min.