Magic Chicken Soup
I call this "magic" chicken soup because it tastes unbelievably awesome when you are sick, and just "meh" when you are healthy, unless you are just really craving chicken soup. Also, it has real medicinal qualities, or so they say: salty water works on sore throats, garlic and onions have antiseptic properties and reduce your germies, warm liquids are always good for you when you are sick, it is mild enough for upset tummies, and it smells awesome, which warms the heart. I make this any time either or us is sick.
Basic ingredients:
(This is very subjective...as Granby says, "Just throw any old good thing in.")
*Broth (Chicken carcass or any cooked chicken parts, about a quart of water, celery bits, garlic, onions, salt, and spices like oregano, basil and pepper...or if you are using plain boneless skinless chicken, you could buy broth and boil all this stuff in it until the chicken is done, then proceed.)
*Chopped celery
*Chopped carrots
*Egg noodles
*Bulgur wheat
Get your broth going and simmer about 15 minutes if you are using cooked chicken. 35 or longer for fresh. Strain out the big stuff (celery bits, chicken) and throw in the chopped veggies. Add wheat and noodles based on cooking time...check the packages. For my ingredients, the wheat takes about 15 minutes and egg noodles about 8, so time it accordingly. Cover and simmer. Meanwhile, pull the good chicken meat out and toss it back in the pot as you go. (Discard bones, skin, etc.) Serve. Drink lots of fluids and go to bed.
***Notes:
1) I had a leftover half-chicken carcass that I baked and froze last week. It was already seasoned, so I didn't add as much salt and pepper as usual to the broth.
2) There wasn't much meat left on the chicken carcass, so I decided to add the wheat for extra protein. If you are buying chicken specifically for this soup, you don't need the wheat, but it's still tasty. Even Sexy Lawyer Man likes it.
3) A whole chicken (or half) with skin and all will up the fat content of the soup as opposed to chicken breast alone, but heck, if you are sick, you need calories.
I don't have a picture of this soup. But I do have a handy picture of the stock as it is cooking.
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