chicken soup

You know how there are those dishes that seem so basic, yet you never make them... for whatever reason?  Like chicken soup.  So basic.  So simple.  I am almost ashamed I had never made it until last week.  We ate it for dinner three nights in a row.  It was the best chicken soup I have had since my Gram made me chicken soup when I was a little girl.  Chicken soup with wild rice.  When I stayed with my grandparents during the winter break, Gram would always make chicken soup.  She would make a large batch and freeze it, so I could have a little at a time.  With Mancini's bread.  Toasted.  With lots of butter. 

So there you have it.  Nothing fancy.  Just soup.  One whole chicken, 8 cups of water, 5 carrots, 1 bulb of fennel, one onion, 5 garlic cloves and sea salt.  Dinner for 2 - three nights in a row.  Talk about economic.  Especially when you consider how richly nutritious each bite was.  I can't wait to make it again.  Heck, I can't wait to get sick so that I have the perfect excuse to make it again.  Or talk Mike through it (yes, it is that easy!).



Now for the recipe.

chicken soup

serves 6

1 whole chicken, cut into parts

8 cups water

5 carrots, sliced diagonally 1/2" thick

1 bulb fennel, chopped

1 onion, halved and sliced

5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp celtic sea salt

Place chicken, water, and sea salt in a large, heavy stock or cast iron pot.  Bring to a boil. 

Add onions, fennel and garlic.  Lower to a simmer.  Cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes.

Remove breasts and set aside.  Add carrots and continue to simmer for 40 minutes.

Remove remaining chicken from the pot and let cool slightly.  Pull chicken off the bone and cut into bite size pieces.

Stir in desired amount of chicken.  Reserve the rest for another use.  Skim the fat off the surface of the soup (optional).  Season with more sea salt if needed.