Simple Chicken Soup
Serve with noodles or rice one day, make dumplings another day or add black beans and rotel for tortilla soup another day
Serve with noodles or rice one day, make dumplings another day or add black beans and rotel for tortilla soup another day
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 gallon water
- 1 chicken whole
- 4 stalks celery rough chop/chunks
- 4 carrots rough chop/chunks
- 2 large onions rough chop/chunks
- 12 cloves garlic pealed and smashed
- 2-4 stalks celery chopped for part ii
- 2-4 carrots sliced for part ii
- 1 tablespoon herb blend i like herbs de provence with lavendar
- Carbohydrate 50.2080966542599 g
- Cholesterol 57.5 mg
- Fat 11.8394966666326 g
- Fiber 2.01913332577546 g
- Protein 73.6465949827532 g
- Saturated Fat 3.37771999998977 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1319g)
- Sodium 89069.3048547631 mg
- Sugar 48.1889633284844 g
- Trans Fat 1.04979216665985 g
- Calories 604 calories
Step-by-step
- rinse chicken and remove giblets (add to pot or toss, your choice)
- place chicken in large stock pot (I use a 2 gallon pot minimum) with water next six ingredients
- bring to a boil, remove lid and boil for about 20-30 minutes
- reduce heat to medium-low and cover
- simmer for 2 or so hours
- check for doneness (however you choose to do this)
- remove chicken to large roasting pan to cool a bit and remove vegetables from broth, strain broth into another pot if you want the broth to be really clear (not necessary for flavor, but I usually do this)
- remove chicken bones and skin and chop the meat into bite-size bits or tear with fingers (my preferred method)
- return meat to broth with chopped celery, sliced carrots, herb blend, salt and pepper
- serve with noodles or rice (I wouldn't put the noodles/rice in the soup but in the bowl and pour the soup over it)
- another night, add a can of black beans and a can of rotel to the pot, serve with tortilla chips, limes, green onions, grated cheddar and sour cream
- add a couple tablespoons of butter, a cup of milk and drop in your favorite dumplings
- potatoes, corn, zucchini and chile make caldo de pollo
Swapping the water for unsalted homemade bone broth completely alters the gelatin content and mouthfeel of the base. Simmering a whole bird extracts collagen from the connective tissues, converting it to water-soluble gelatin that gives the liquid body. Keeping the initial aromatics cut in rough chunks prevents them from dissolving entirely during the two-hour simmer.
- Strain the initial broth through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a particle-free liquid.
- Add fresh sliced carrots and finely chopped celery during the final phase of cooking so they retain structural integrity rather than turning mushy.
- Ladling hot broth directly over cooked grains like rice or pasta in individual bowls prevents the starches from breaking down and clouding the entire pot.
- Incorporate canned black beans and diced tomatoes with green chilis to shift the flavor profile toward a tomato-forward tortilla soup base.
Gluten-free diners can bypass traditional wheat noodles entirely by serving the broth over white rice or corn tortillas. Dairy-free requirements are easily met by omitting the optional milk and butter additions used when dropping in flour dumplings.
