Soup Essentials The Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup Recipes

THE ULTIMATE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Peel carrots and add peels to a Dutch oven or other large pot. Trim off ends and leafy tops from celery; add to the pot. Trim dark green stalks from leek; rinse. Cut into 2-inch pieces and place into the pot; add bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Smash and peel 2 garlic cloves and add to the pot.
• Finely chop the light green and white parts of the leek; rinse and set aside in a medium bowl. Slice carrots into small pieces and add to the bowl. Slice celery on the bias and combine with the carrots and leeks. Mince remaining garlic; set aside separately.
• Cut away the skin from the chicken breast; set aside. Place chicken in the pot with the vegetable trimmings and pour in broth to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), 30 to 40 minutes.
• Remove chicken; discard skin. Wrap chicken to prevent it from drying out. Strain broth and discard vegetable trimmings.
• Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook chicken skin until lightly crisp and fat has rendered out, about 8 minutes. Remove skin and increase heat to medium-high. Add reserved chopped vegetables; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add minced garlic and thyme; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Pour in strained broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
• In the meantime, bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook egg noodles at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain.
• Season broth with salt and pepper. Stir in lemon juice; taste and adjust as needed. Stir in shredded chicken and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.
• Scoop egg noodles into serving bowls and pour soup on top; garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

THE ULTIMATE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 550°F (290°C) and adjust the rack to the center position. Evenly spread the chicken wings directly on an unlined rimmed baking sheet. Roast the wings until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Remove wings from the oven and drain any rendered chicken fat into a heatproof dish and reserve. Pour about 1/2 cup of water on to the sheet tray and scrape up any browned bits that may be stuck to the bottom. Transfer the wings along with the water and dissolved browned bits to a 3-quart sauce pot. Cover with 1 1/2 quarts of water.
• Bring to a boil over high heat, then let boil vigorously for 15 minutes. Reduce to a simmer, then cook gently for 2 hours, adding water as needed to maintain the 1 1/2-quart volume.
• Meanwhile, preheat a sous vide cooker to 140°F (60°C). Season chicken breasts generously with salt. Place chicken in zipper-lock bags or vacuum bags and add 2 tablespoons of the reserved chicken fat. Remove air from zipper-lock bags using the water displacement method , or use a vacuum sealer to seal the vacuum bags. Add chicken and cook for 2 hours. (See note for instructions on how to cook the chicken without using a sous vide setup.)
• Heat a 12-inch sauté pan over high heat. Peel the onion and cut crosswise into thick 1-inch slices. Char the onion slices in the hot pan until blackened on both sides. Add onions to stock and simmer an additional 1 hour.
• After chicken stock has simmered for a total of 3 hours, pass through a fine mesh strainer. Discard chicken wings and onion and return stock to pot. Season with salt and pepper.
• In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the remaining reserved chicken fat.
• Dice the chicken breasts into 1/2-inch pieces and portion into the bottom of 4 serving bowls. Add the pasta and dill to each bowl. Top with hot chicken stock. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, to taste. Serve right away.