Mix N Match Chicken Soup Recipes

MIX-N-MATCH CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Prepare:.
• Bring stock to boil in large stock pot. Add all ingredients; salt and pepper to taste; reduce heat; simmer for at least one hour.
• Freeze:.
• Allow soup to cool. Pour into freezer bags and freeze. Can line coffee cans with a freezer bag and pour directly into bag. Seal, remove from container and freeze.
• If using noodles or rice, add these items after removing the soup from the stove. This will avoid noodles and rice becoming too mushy.

CHICKEN SOUP FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• Place the chicken, celery, carrots, onions, parsnip (if using), parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt in a large soup pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Adjust the heat until the soup is "smiling": barely moving on the surface, with an occasional bubble breaking through. Cook uncovered, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• When cool enough to handle, use tongs to transfer chicken from the pot to a container. Taste the broth and continue to simmer it until it is concentrated and tasty. Strain broth through a fine sieve (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) into a separate container. Discard all the solids from the strainer (or reserve the vegetables, chill and serve with vinaigrette, if you wish).
• Refrigerate chicken pieces and broth separately for at least 8 hours (or up to 3 days), until a thick layer of yellow fat has risen to the top of the broth.
• When ready to finish the soup, use your fingers to separate chicken breast meat from bones and skin. Discard bones and skin. Use two forks to pull the breast meat apart into soft chunks, or use a knife and cut into bite-size pieces. (Reserve dark meat for another use.)
• Skim chicken fat from top of broth and set aside. Place 3 tablespoons of the fat in a soup pot with a lid. Add leeks, stir to coat, and heat over medium heat until leeks begin to fry. Then reduce the heat to a gentle sizzle and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add carrots, sprinkle with salt, stir, and cover the pot. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes more. (Keep in mind that vegetables will continue to cook in the soup.) Do not brown.
• Pour broth into pot with vegetables and heat to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until heated through, soft and plumped with chicken broth. Add the breast meat, then taste broth and add salt and pepper to taste. For best flavor, soup should have some golden droplets of fat on top; if needed, add more chicken fat one teaspoon at a time.
• Serve immediately, in a tureen or from the pot, sprinkling each serving with herbs.

MIX & MATCH CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• BASIC CHICKEN SOUP:.
• Place chicken pieces and backbone in a large stockpot. Add carrots, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 16 cups water and place over high heat.
• When water boils, reduce to a brisk simmer. Skim any foam that accumulates on the surface. Continue to cook, skimming occasionally, until chicken is cooked and broth is slightly reduced, 1 hour.
• Remove chicken pieces. Continue to simmer broth. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones. Strain broth into a clean stockpot and discard solids. Skim fat and return chicken to broth. Add desired additions and garnishes, and serve.
• TORTILLA SOUP VARIATION:.
• To hot broth, add corn, tomatoes, black beans, and jalapeno. Maintain a brisk simmer and cook for 2 minutes, until corn and jalapeno are just tender. Add lime juice and chopped cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, garnished with additional lime wedges, cilantro sprigs, tortilla chips, and cheddar cheese.
• SHIITAKE-EGG DROP SOUP VARIATION:.
• To hot broth, add bok choy, shiitakes, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Maintain a brisk simmer and cook for 3 minutes, until bok choy and shiitakes are just tender. Add eggs and stir gently, until set, about 1 minute more. Season to taste with additional soy sauce and vinegar, and serve, garnished generously with sliced scallions.
• ASPARAGUS-SPINACH SOUP VARIATION:.
• To hot broth, add asparagus. Maintain a brisk simmer and cook for 3 minutes, until asparagus is just tender. Remove from heat and add spinach, lemon juice, heavy cream, dill, and basil. Stir until spinach is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, garnished with additional herbs and olive oil.