CHICKEN-NOODLE SOUP

SERVES 4 to 6

There is nothing quite like homemade Chicken Soup. I imagine we make it at least every other month during fall and winter. This is my mother's recipe, which was passed down from my PA Dutch grandmother. My grandmother added fresh greens when they were in season, otherwise she omitted them. Sometimes my mother used frozen greens, as in this rendition. Like any soup that uses a homemade broth, it takes a little longer to prepare, but is well worth the effort. The broth can be cooked when you have time and refrigerated, along with the meat from the chicken, for several days, or frozen until use. For a similar recipe with an Italian twist, see my Chicken and Escarole Soup.

INGREDIENTS

BROTH

1 small chicken

1 large onion, peeled

1 large carrot

2 celery ribs

1 bay leaf

6 cups water, more if needed

Salt and pepper to taste

SOUP

Broth from cooked chicken
8-ounces frozen greens, such as turnip or collards
4-ounces uncooked wide noodles
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups reserved shredded chicken

For the broth: Place the chicken, onion, carrot, celery and bay leaf in a large soup pot. Add the water and more as needed to nearly cover the chicken. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove chicken from pot; cool until easy to handle. Pull meat off bones; discard skin and bones. Reserve about 2 cups of shredded chicken for soup, the remainder for other recipes. Remove the vegetables from the broth; skim off the fat. Taste broth for seasoning.

For the soup: Bring the broth to a boil. Add the greens; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes depending on the type of greens used. Stir in the noodles and corn. Bring back to a boil, then cover, reduce heat again, and cook until noodles are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and heat about 5 minutes. Serve immediately, or keep hot over very low heat.

Notes: For a heartier soup, add more chicken, greens and/or noodles. If the soup appears too thick, use less noodles or add a little more water, being careful not to add so much as to dilute the flavor. Taste again for seasonings. Since the meat of one-half chicken is sufficient for this recipe and many others, I often buy whole chickens, cut them in half and freeze until needed. Cut-up chicken parts could also be used.

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