Ingredients
Method
Soup
- Season the chicken inside and out with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, rubbing until the skin glistens.1 teaspoon peppercorns
- Place chicken in a large stockpot. Add the quartered onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and peppercorns.1 whole (3½–4 lb) whole chicken, 1 large yellow onion, 4 medium carrots, 4 ribs celery, 1 leaf bay leaf, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 10 cups water, 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- Pour in cold water, covering ingredients completely.4 cloves garlic
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming foam every few minutes.
- Once it bubbles steadily, lower heat and simmer uncovered until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
- Use tongs to lift out the chicken; set it on a cutting board to cool slightly.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids.
- When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones; shred the meat into bite-size pieces.
- Return shredded chicken to the clear broth.
- If using noodles, bring the soup back to a simmer, add 1 cup noodles, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes.2 teaspoons kosher salt
- Adjust seasoning with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.1 teaspoon peppercorns, 2 sprigs fresh parsley
Notes
Rinsing the chicken under cold water was the key to removing impurities I noticed in my first trial.
Chill the broth after cooking to easily remove excess fat and achieve a cleaner finish.
For meal prep, freeze egg noodles separately if planning to store soup longer than a week to avoid mushy texture.