Homemade chicken soup is an excellent meal for everyone. Since such a bird is kept in favorable conditions, its meat is more dietary. A broth from such a chicken is perfect for recovering patients, as well as for people with a weakened body. It can be noted that poultry meat is different in appearance and texture. It has a lighter shade and is denser to the touch. However, this should not be a cause for concern. In finished form, it will not be tough if you cook it according to certain rules.
Cooking features
How to cook poultry? Unlike commercial broilers, domestic chicken has a denser meat. Therefore, when cooking it, it is advisable to use a small fire, and it must be boiled for a long time. Only in this way you will get a delicious broth and tender meat.
Recipes of soups with chicken, cooked at home, can be different, however, it is noodles that are considered classic. This dish is especially popular with children. How to cook it?
Homemade chicken soup
To make homemade chicken soup, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1 kg of chicken with bones;
- 2 bay leaves;
- 1 small onion;
- 2 cloves of garlic, cut into pieces;
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 2 sprigs of fresh;
- 5 liters of water;
- 400-500 grams of egg noodles;
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced;
- 2 large carrots, divided lengthwise into quarters and thinly sliced;
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped (in addition to the above halves);
- Salt and ground black pepper, to taste;
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley;
- 4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill.
How to cook the broth?
Homemade chicken soup, the recipe of which is given in this article, is very easy to prepare. Divide the bird into pieces (cut wings, legs, and so on). Then use a heavy sharp knife to slice the carcass across the bones. This will expose the bone marrow and release it into the broth (this is very useful, because it contains a lot of iron). Leave the legs intact, do not cut off the skin and fat fragments from them.
In a large soup pot, mix the chicken slices with 2 bay leaves, onion halves, 2 garlic cloves cut into pieces and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme. Add 5 liters of water and bring to a boil. Using a large spoon, remove and discard any foam that rises. Reduce the heat to a slight boil and cook, partially closing the lid, for one and a half hours. At the same time, the broth should barely bubble. Only in this way will homemade chicken meat turn out tender and broth saturated.
What to do next?
After that, take out the pieces of chicken, and as soon as they become cool enough, separate the meat from the bones (later you put the meat in the soup again). Remove the bones. Cover the meat with foil or a lid so that it does not dry.
Delicious homemade chicken noodle soup is as follows. Strain the broth in a large heat-resistant bowl with a sieve. If you want to get rid of excess fat, put a paper towel on the bottom of the sieve.
After that, wash the pan in which you cooked the broth and put it on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté 3 finely chopped celery stalks, 2 finely chopped carrots and onion. Salt and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
Cooking soup
Pour the chicken stock back into the pan, put salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for another 15 minutes. Add chopped chicken and egg noodles and continue cooking until the noodles are cooked. Turn off the heat and add fresh parsley and dill to your homemade chicken soup. Pour into plates and serve.
As you can see, this cooking method is not a problem. If desired, a soup with homemade noodles and chicken can be made, the recipe of which is completely identical. To knead the dough on pasta, you need only three ingredients: eggs, flour and water. Just roll it into thin layers, cut and dry. By consistency, it resembles a dumpling dough, so no difficulties should arise.
Other options
This is a classic way to cook poultry, but by no means the only one. There are many different first courses that are easy to make at home. For example, you can make homemade chicken harcho soup. Despite the fact that traditionally this dish is made from beef, an option from poultry also exists.
This is a spicy spicy soup that is prepared with lots of herbs and spices. A special component of this dish is walnuts, which act in the same way as dairy products. They soften the sharp taste of stew and give the soup a softer and more pleasant texture. If you don’t eat spicy foods, you can reduce the amount of spices recommended by prescription.
To make such a homemade chicken soup, you will need the following components:
- 1 kg of chicken thighs (6-8, depending on their size), skinless and boneless;
- 2 liters of chicken stock;
- 5 pieces of prunes (dried plums), pitted;
- 1/2 cup tomato paste;
- 1 cup long-grain rice;
- 3 red onions, large (or 4, if they are small or medium), finely chopped;
- 2 bunches of fresh, finely chopped cilantro (about 1 cup);
- 2 bunches of fresh, finely chopped parsley (about 2 glasses);
- 3-4 garlic cloves peeled;
- Salt;
- 1 green chili pepper (such as serrano or jalapeno), fresh;
- 1 red chili pepper (e.g. Fresno pepper), fresh;
- 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped;
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander, ground;
- 2 tablespoons mint, fresh, chopped or 1 tablespoon dried mint;
- 1 tablespoon ground fenugreek, ground (can be replaced with mustard seeds);
- 2 bay leaves;
- Black pepper to taste.
How to cook?
Cut the chicken thighs into pieces of 2-3 centimeters in size and put in a large pot with a capacity of 4 liters. Add chicken stock, prunes, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add rice, red onion, half chopped cilantro and half parsley, and simmer for another 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, sprinkle the garlic cloves with a pinch of salt and chop them finely. Halve the pepper pods, remove the seeds and chop finely. In a bowl, combine garlic and pepper with walnuts and add the remaining chopped parsley and cilantro. Pour about 1 cup of hot soup broth into the mixture and stir to get a uniform mass. Pour the resulting mixture back into boiling soup and add coriander, mint, fenugreek and bay leaf. Boil the soup for another 10 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into shallow bowls and serve with wheat or corn tortillas.