I have a fondness of chicken soup.
Before my teenage years, meat wasn’t served every day. Chicken only counted about 10-20% of the meat that ever showed up on the table. I probably only saw a chicken dish once a month. At that time, there weren’t any chicken farms around where I grew up. Chickens were all home grown. Most of my relatives grew (still grow today) chickens. They picked up a dozen or two chicks in the spring from a breeder and feed them with veggies, bran, and worms. All the chickens were absolutely cage free. By summer, the chickens grew to about 2 pounds. Roosters would be consumed during the summer and early fall as special treats for guests. The typical way of fixing was stir-frying with pepper and soy sauce. Hens were kept to produce eggs until the next year. When hens stopped laying eggs, what’s await them was used to make chicken soup as the meat is too rubbery to stir frying. I probably had chicken soups 2-3 times a year before living conditions really improved. The savory flavor of chicken soup is still engraved in my brain.
Even though chicken noodle soup is widely considered a comfort food in the US, some people said it’s originated from China, centuries before Campbell’s famous canned product. The Chinese chicken soup is usually cooked with ginger roots and scallion. Ancient Greeks also cooked Chicken soup which evolved over centuries into avgolemono, in which egg and lemon are used. Chicken soup is also a symbol of Jewish cuisine. Historically, at Yom Kippur, every family would prepare chicken soup.
Comparing with the chicken soup (or my memory) I had before, I found the premade ones from grocers to be just like water. Most chicken noodle soups served in restaurants are too salty. That’s why I like to cook chicken noodle soup and always use homemade chicken stock. It’s time consuming but the result is well justified.
It could be served as a quick and light meal or side dish with another dish like the following way.
Chicken Noodle Soup from Homemade Stock 鸡肉面条汤
Equipment
- 5 quart stock pot
- 10" sauce pan
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds whole chicken
- 1 medium onion
- 1 large carrot
- 2 cups egg noodles
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tbsp salt
- 10 cups water
Instructions
- Along the thighs, wings, and breast joints, use a knife to dismantle the chicken into smaller pieces
- Place all the pieces, except for the breast, into the pot. Add water to the pot until the water surface is about 1-2 inches above the chicken parts
- Place the pot on the stove, and turn the heat to high. Bring the pot to boil for about 2 mins. Remove the scum with a spoon
- Put the breasts into the pot, and make sure they are submerged under the water
- Once the pot is back to boil, turn heat to low, cover it with a lid, and simmer at low heat
- Add ice and cold water to the sauce pan after 18-19 mins
- After the pot simmers for 20 mins, take the breast out, and put them to the ice water to quickly cool down. Keep the chilled breast for another dish
- Put the lid back on and simmer for another 50-55 mins. Remove the pot from the heat and cool it down
- Take the chicken pieces out of the stock, and remove all the meat from the bones. Put the bones back into the pot, and add additional water (3-4 cups). Put the pot back onto the stove and bring it to boil. Turn heat to low to simmer for about 30 more mins with the lid on
- Remove the pot from the heat, and cool it down to room temperature. Place it in a refrigerator overnight. Use a spoon to scoop out excess grease on the top. Warm up the stock for the next step
- Peel, rinse, and mince the onion and carrot
- Place the sauce pan onto the stove. Add oil and the minced veggies. Turn heat to high and sautee for about 2-3 mins. Add 5-6 cups of the stock.
- Bring the pan to boil. Add the egg noodles, mixed herbs, and stir to mix
- Turn heat to low, and let the pan simmer with lid on for about 15-50 mins until the noodles are soft
- Add the chicken meat, white pepper powder, and salt. Turn heat to high and bring it to boil for 2-3 mins with stirring
- Adjust with salt to your likings
- Serve as it is or a side dish
Video
Notes
- You don't have to go through all the trouble to make your own stock. I typically make about 3 different dishes from ingredients from the homemade stock. You could simply use stock from grocers.
- You don't have to remove the grease by freeze the stock. You could scoop it with a spoon.
- Besides onions and carrots, you may want to add other veggies to your soup.
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