Old-Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large stockpot (8-quart minimum)
• •Fine-mesh strainer
• •Slotted spoon or spider strainer
• •Large heatproof bowl

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the stock base

   Place the whole chicken in your largest stockpot. Add the cold water. Cold water is essential here because it extracts proteins slowly, allowing impurities to rise as foam rather than clouding your broth. The water should cover the bird by at least two inches. If it doesn't, use a smaller pot or add more water.

   Never use hot water to start a stock. The rapid temperature change causes proteins to seize and cloud the liquid.
2. 2

   Bring to a gentle simmer

   Set the pot over medium-high heat. Watch it carefully. As the water approaches a simmer, gray foam will rise to the surface. This is protein and impurities from the chicken. Skim it away with a large spoon. Be patient. Keep skimming until the foam turns white and the liquid looks cleaner. This takes about fifteen minutes. Do not let the pot reach a rolling boil or you'll stir those impurities back into the broth.

3. 3

   Add aromatics

   Once you've skimmed the foam, add the quartered onions, celery pieces, carrot pieces, halved garlic head, peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, and one tablespoon of salt. Reduce the heat until you see lazy bubbles rising to the surface every few seconds. This gentle simmer extracts flavor without agitating the liquid. A vigorous boil makes cloudy stock. Let clarity guide you.

4. 4

   Simmer low and slow

   Let the stock simmer uncovered for one and a half to two hours. The chicken is done when the leg joint moves freely and the meat wants to fall from the bone. You'll know by looking: the skin will appear loose and papery, the breast meat will have pulled back from the bone. Resist the urge to rush this. The collagen needs time to transform into gelatin.

5. 5

   Remove and cool the chicken

   Using two large slotted spoons or a spider strainer, carefully transfer the chicken to a large bowl or sheet pan. It will be fragile. Work slowly. Let it cool until you can handle it comfortably, about twenty minutes. Meanwhile, keep the stock at a bare simmer.

6. 6

   Strain the stock

   Set a fine-mesh strainer over another large pot or heatproof container. Pour the stock through slowly, letting it drain completely. Discard the spent vegetables and aromatics. They've given everything to the broth and have nothing left to offer. You should have about three quarts of golden, fragrant stock. Taste it. Season with more salt if needed. The flavor should be distinctly chicken, clean and bright.

7. 7

   Shred the chicken

   Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Pull the meat from the bones in large pieces, then shred into bite-sized strips using your fingers or two forks. You want pieces substantial enough to find with your spoon, not tiny fragments that disappear. A whole chicken yields about four cups of meat. Set aside and cover to keep moist.

8. 8

   Build the soup

   Return the strained stock to a clean pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the sliced carrots and cook for five minutes. Add the sliced celery and diced onion. Continue simmering until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, another eight to ten minutes. The carrots should yield to a fork but still hold their shape.

9. 9

   Cook the noodles

   Add the egg noodles directly to the simmering soup. Stir gently to prevent sticking. Cook according to package directions, usually eight to ten minutes, until the noodles are tender but still have pleasant resistance. They'll continue absorbing broth as the soup sits, so err on the side of slightly underdone.

   If making ahead, cook noodles separately and add to individual portions when serving. Otherwise they'll swell and absorb all your beautiful broth.
10. 10

    Finish and serve

    Return the shredded chicken to the pot and heat through, about two minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the fresh dill and parsley. Taste once more and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Ladle into deep bowls, making sure each portion gets a generous share of noodles, vegetables, and chicken. Serve immediately with crusty bread for dunking.

Chef Tips

• •The best chickens for soup are older stewing hens, if you can find them. They have more collagen and deeper flavor than young fryers. Ask your butcher. Failing that, any whole chicken will produce good results.
• •Save the carcass after shredding the meat. Freeze it and add to your next batch of stock for even richer body. Nothing goes to waste in a proper kitchen.
• •If the broth seems thin, remove the lid and simmer more vigorously for twenty minutes to concentrate flavors before adding noodles.
• •Wide egg noodles are traditional, but this soup welcomes all pasta shapes. Ditalini, orzo, or broken spaghetti work beautifully. Matzo balls make it a different dish entirely, and a worthy one.
• •A squeeze of fresh lemon juice just before serving brightens everything. Add it to your bowl, not the pot, so others can choose.

Advance Preparation

• •The stock can be made three days ahead and refrigerated. The fat will solidify on top, forming a protective seal. Scrape it off before reheating, or leave a bit for richness.
• •Shredded chicken keeps refrigerated for three days. Store covered in a splash of stock to prevent drying.
• •Complete soup without noodles freezes beautifully for three months. Add freshly cooked noodles after thawing and reheating.
• •This soup improves overnight as flavors meld. Make it Saturday for Sunday supper and you'll taste the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 430g)