Any time someone in my house would get sick when I was a kid, or even if it was just simply cold outside, my mom would go to TOWN on her amazing, homemade chicken soup starting first thing in the morning. I have vivid memories waking up in excitement to the incredible smell of her chicken soup, knowing exactly what we were going to be doing all day and what we’d be having for dinner that night.
It was an all day affair – cutting all the veggies, cleaning the chicken, adding everything to the soup pot early in the morning, then letting everything cook together throughout the day and into the evening. I remember standing on a chair as a kid, pulling the chicken out of the soup-base and helping my mom shred the steaming-hot meat off the bone. We’d dip it into lawry’s seasoning salt and eat it with the slow-cooked carrots as we worked, laughing because we were eating everything before it was ready.
The smell of my childhood home on the days my mom would make her chicken soup stick in my mind so strongly that I can’t help but think of it when I am homesick and especially when I am actually sick.
This past week, Stu and I came down with a cold – thanks to hiking in freezing rain last weekend, so Colorado of us – and I immediately wanted to make my moms chicken soup.
I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I have my entire life!! Feel free to add ingredients as you please to make it your own.
- For The Base:
- 1 [url href=”http://www.grasslandbeef.com/Detail.bok?no=574&affId=204749″]Whole Organic Chicken[/url] (~3 lbs), cleaned + patted dry
- 5 large carrots, cut into 2″ pieces
- 4-5 celery stalks, cut into 2″ pieces
- 1 head of garlic, chopped in half with peel still on
- 1 yellow onion, cut into 1/4’s
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp Mineral Salt (I use [url href=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000R5PKD0/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=whatcaitate-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000R5PKD0&linkId=91a6565c173f77ecbcfb79ca54f56cbb”]Redmond Real Salt[/url])
- 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
- Filtered water to cover
- For The Soup:
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 1 whole yellow onion, diced
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, diced
- 3-4 celery stalks, diced
- 1 tbsp grass-fed butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- In a large soup pot or [url href=”https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U00K0FK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=whatcaitate-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00U00K0FK&linkId=69e20c676ef34dbdc1937b8eb9e9345b”]Le Creuset[/url], add all ingredients for the base: chicken first, veggies + herbs on top, then fill to the top with filtered water.
- Bring to a simmer then place lid on top. Skim foam every few hours off the top.
- Cook until meat is falling off the bone, about 6-8 hours. Take whole chicken out of the base and shred the meat – set aside.
- Strain the veggies + herbs from the broth – set aside. Rinse out the soup pot and put back on the stove for the next step.
- Sauté fresh veggies for the soup- carrots, onion, garlic, celery – in butter and olive oil in the soup pot and cook until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
- Return broth + shredded chicken to the soup pot with the sautéed chopped veggies and bring to a simmer.
- Serve and enjoy! Add salt + pepper to taste.
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