Not Chicken Soup Food

SIMPLE CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Put the bones and carcass from a leftover chicken (they can be in pieces) in a large pot. Cover with the broth and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Skim any foam or fat from the broth with a ladle as necessary.
• Remove the bones and carcass with tongs or a slotted spoon; set aside to cool. Add the carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf to the broth, bring back to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are about half cooked (they will still have resistance when tested with a knife but be somewhat pliable when bent), about 10 minutes. Stir in the rice (to keep it from sticking to the bottom), and cook until the grains are just al dente, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, when the carcass and bones are cool enough to handle, pick off the meat, and shred it into bite-size pieces.
• When the rice is done, add the meat to the broth and simmer until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in the parsley, and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt or more to taste. Serve hot.

BASIC CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Bring chicken, water, and 1 tablespoon salt to a boil in a large stockpot. Skim foam. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Reduce heat. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Remove breast, and set aside. Add carrots. Simmer, partially covered, for 40 minutes.
• Remove remaining chicken; discard back and wings. Let cool slightly. Remove meat from bones, and cut into bite-size pieces.
• Stir in desired amount of chicken; reserve the rest for another use. Skim fat. Season with salt.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in large pot.
• Sauté the celery, carrot and onion for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Add thyme, poultry seasoning, chicken broth and bouilion.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add noodles and chicken and cook on low for 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with parsley.

NO-CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Warm oil in a soup pot large enough to hold 10 cups over medium heat.
• Saute onion until golden brown.
• Add all other ingredients.
• Simmer over low heat until reduced by about 1/4. (For me that usually takes about 2 hours). If the soup reduces too quickly before the vegetables are cooked, add a little water and continue cooking.
• You may also put all the ingredients in a crock pot and cook the soup on low for about 6 hours and high for about 3 (very approximate times!).
• Correct the seasoning--add sassafras and/or fresh black pepper if you like.
• This soup is excellent served with cooked egg noodles or garlic-flavored bagel chips.

ASIAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions indicate. Drain and return to the pot.
• Meanwhile, place the chicken, large celery pieces, carrot, onion and bay leaf in a pot. Cover with 1 1/2 to 2 quarts water, bring to a boil and let poach for 12 minutes. Remove the chicken, discard the skin and let cool enough to handle. Shred or dice the meat and discard the bones. Strain the poaching liquid into a large measuring cup and add the store-bought chicken stock. (Using the quick-poach liquid alone makes for too thin a flavor, but adding it to store-bought stock works out nicely and stretches a buck.).
• Heat the oil in a dutch oven or medium soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the thinly sliced celery, scallions, garlic, chile pepper and the ginger and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock mixture and tamari (or soy sauce).
• Divide the noodles and shredded chicken among 4 soup bowls. Top with the soup and garnish with the lime wedges and cilantro.

TANGY GREEK CHICKEN SOUP (CROCK POT OR NOT)

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook 1 hour on high, then 5 hours on low (or 7 hours on low, if you are not available to switch crock pot from high to low).
• If you don't have a crock pot, soup can just as easily be simmered for a long time on the stove, until the chicken is falling apart, about 3 hours.
• Before serving, break up chicken into large bite size pieces, and taste for salt.