1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs.), breast removed, split, and reserved; remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces, all with skin on
2 medium onions, cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water (8 cups)
Salt
2 bay leaves
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 celery stalk, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ tsp. dried thyme
2 cups (3 oz.) wide egg noodles
¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves
ground black pepper
Easy method for cutting up chicken:
First remove the whole legs and wings from the body; set them aside. Separate the back from the breast, then split the breast and set the halves aside. Hack the back crosswise into three or four pieces, and then halve each of these pieces. Cut the wing at each joint to yield three pieces. Leave the wing tip whole, and then halve each of the remaining joints. Because of the larger bones, the legs and thighs are most difficult to cut. Start by splitting the leg and thigh at the joint, then hack each to yield three to four pieces. I cut almost the entire chicken with heavy kitchen shears, you can also use a sturdy and sharp butcher knife. Using a good quality butcher knife can be therapeutic!
To make the soup:
Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add half of chopped onions to kettle; sauté` until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add half of chicken pieces; sauté` until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 tsp. salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove shin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 Tbsp. Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.
Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add remaining onions, along with carrot and celery; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add noodles and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Make sure to cut the heat at this point so that the noodles don’t get mushy. Adjust seasonings, stir in parsley, and serve. Serves 6, makes about 3 quarts.
Note: This recipe may look a little intimidating and hacking the chicken will not be fun, although a great way to get out your frustrations! Brooke was famous for sweet talking the butcher into doing it for her, at least part way. One of my friends who once felt inadequate in the kitchen tried this recipe and felt like a full blown chef afterwards. It is truly delicious and well worth the work. Take this to a friend who is sickly and they will feel better…you will feel totally worn out, so make enough for yourself, too! There’s nothing like the healing power of good chicken soup!
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