Mama Leones Chicken Soup Via Elephant Deli Recipes

MAMA LEONE'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken breasts with salt and black pepper to taste and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and cool.
• When cool enough to handle, dice the meat and set aside until needed.
• While the chicken breasts are baking, heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the butter and melt. Saute the onions and celery until the onions are translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic, tarragon, oregano, paprika and remaining 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 or 4 minutes.
• Add the flour and stir until well-combined. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and bring to a boil.
• Add the tomatoes and cream. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Add the reserved chicken breast and simmer 10 minutes more. Just before serving, stir in the spinach.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth and chicken in heavy large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover partially and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to large bowl. Cool chicken and broth slightly. Discard skin and bones from chicken. Cut chicken meat into bite-size pieces and reserve. Spoon fat off top of chicken broth.
• Return broth to simmer. Add onion, carrots and celery. Simmer until vegetables soften, about 8 minutes. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover chicken meat and broth separately and refrigerate. Bring broth to boil before continuing.)
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Add mushrooms to broth; stir in noodles, herbs, and reserved chicken. Simmer until noodles are tender, about 5 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper.

MAMA'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Place chicken in an 8 quart stockpot. Add onion, celery, parsley, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
• Fill pot with water to cover by 2-3 inches. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, skimming foam from surface.
• Simmer for 1 hour, checking to be sure soup is still simmering and to make sure level doesn't drop too low (if it does, add more cold water, bring back to simmer, and cook a little longer).
• Remove chicken from soup and let sit, covered, until cool enough to handle; continue simmering soup in the meantime.
• Remove meat from bones and return bones, skin, etc to soup. Refrigerate chicken meat.
• Continue simmering soup. Soup may be simmered for another 1/2 hour or so, or may be simmered for a few hours - the time at this point is quite flexible. Just keep checking the broth level now and then; add cold water and return to simmer if it drops too low.
• Taste and correct seasoning. Strain through a few layers of cheesecloth into a clean stockpot. Discard vegetables and bones. Keep broth hot while you prepare the desired starch.
• If using potatoes, peel and cube and simmer until tender. Place some potato chunks and chicken meat into bowls and ladle hot broth over.
• If using rice, cook rice according to package directions. Place some rice and chicken meat into bowls and ladle hot broth over.
• If using noodles, cook according to package directions and drain well. Place some noodles and chicken meat into bowls and ladle hot broth over.
• This soup may be defatted if you make it in advance, cool quickly in an ice bath, and chill in the refrigerator. Once chilled, the fat will solidify on the surface and may be skimmed off. At this point, the broth may be frozen for later use (with or without meat, and without potatoes or rice), or it may be heated and served.