Mama's Homemade Chicken Soup

Oh my goodness yummy & perfect meal any time of year!  Once you make this batch of soup and freeze the rest for later...you'll have an easy, pull-out-of-the-freezer meal.  Just add some soup pasta and a side salad & done!

You might want to try throwing in some cooked escarole or little baby meatballs, top with some Parmesan or Romano cheese for extra goodness!

This is how we do it in the "D" House!

Ingredients

1 Whole Chicken

1 1/2 Gallons of Water

6 Whole Potatoes – Cut into 1” pieces

8 Carrots – Cut into wheels

6 Stalks of Celery – Chopped & the leaves are good too

2 Large Onions

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder – to taste

1 Tbs. Chicken Soup Base (Powdered) or Liquid Chicken Broth

3 Bay Leaves

Directions

​Put your chicken in a large stock or soup pot.  Mine is a 14 quart size pot, but it is a little on the big size for the job.  An 8 or 10 quart stock pot would most likely work just fine.

1. Now add 1 ½ gallons of water. 
   
   
2. Add 2T of salt.
   
   
3. Bring your chicken, salted water, onions & celery to a boil.
   
   
4. Turn down the heat, cover and let is simmer for a few hours (2 to 4 hours or so) I never really time it I just cook until my chicken has kind of fallen apart.
   
   
5. Separate the chicken and broth.  I do this by putting a large pan (large enough to hold all the broth) in my sink, Then I put a colander inside the pan to catch the chicken…then pour the broth and chicken into the colander. 
   
   
6. Remove the chicken and set this aside to cool.
   
   
7. Return the broth back into the stock pot.
   
   
8. Add carrots, potatoes, Salt, Pepper, garlic powder (about 1 tsp.), chick soup base and bay leaves.  Let simmer on medium until all veggies are tender.
   
   
9. While soup is simmering…..de-bone your chicken & add to soup!
   
   
10. Cook some soup pasta al dente & add a bit of cooked escarole to add to bowls…ladle on your soup & enjoy;)
    
    
11. Freeze the rest for another day!  Easy pull out to add a salad for a nice little dinner!
    
    

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