Do you know what chicken stock is? The recipes for this dish vary depending on the culture and taste preferences in the area where it is cooked. The broth is used both as an independent dish, and as the basis for many other culinary masterpieces. But how to make the broth really tasty? What needs to be done to make it your favorite meal in your home? You need to choose the most suitable recipe.
About broth
Of course, all housewives cook chicken broth in different ways. But there are certain principles that you should violate only if you want to spoil the dish. Chicken broth recipes differ only in ingredients.
In general, broths came to us from the most romantic country in the world - France. It was there that the first clear and mouth-watering meat fluids were prepared that could satisfy hunger. They were prepared not only on chicken meat, but it is this bird that can make any dish light and even dietary.
In contrast to the generally accepted opinion, a real broth is perfect as an independent dish. Often people use it when they are sick or when they want to eat something tasty and light. It is usually served with crackers and croutons. Some people like to add greens and favorite spices to the liquid itself.
The broth is often used not only as a base for soup. This is a great option for making an original and tasty sauce. In chicken broth, the recipe of which can be found below, vegetables and meat are often stewed. It is also used in the preparation of such masterpieces as liquid rice or risotto.
Basic principles of cooking
The simplest recipe for a delicious chicken broth is a properly connected product. If we talk about chicken, it is recommended to buy it not in supermarkets. Home-grown chicken almost certainly did not consume nitrates and was not fed with antibiotics. Her meat is always a bit harder, but the broth is more rich and aromatic. But, if it is not possible to buy homemade meat, carefully monitor the expiration dates. The fresher the meat, the better.
By the way, it’s better to buy chicken soup. This is not a broiler or young meat. With long cooking, chicken will not boil, and the broth itself will remain transparent.
If we talk about which part of the chicken to use, it is worth noting that the broth on a clean fillet will turn out to be somewhat fresh, and then the meat itself will have to be stewed for a long time to restore its softness. This is especially true with soup chickens.
Some more secrets
World-class chefs say that the best and most delicious broth is obtained by cooking it with meat that has bones. For example, a broth from a whole chicken or her thigh is very tasty. Many prepare the basis for soup from a simple chicken back.
Fragrant spices in the preparation of the broth are not recommended. They often not only hammer the smell of chicken, but also spoil the very taste of the prepared dish.
Pour meat with cold purified water and only then send it to the fire. This rule only works if you want to get a delicious broth. For soft and juicy meat, everything is done exactly the opposite - the meat is put in boiling water.
In general, the broth should not boil. This is not a dish that can be cooked quickly. At least three hours of cooking will bring the most optimal result. Otherwise, the broth will be cloudy and not very tasty.
The foam that will form should be removed regularly. This also greatly affects the taste and color of the dish.
Cooking classic broth
The most common recipe with a photo of chicken stock consists of this set of products:
- About 0.5 kilograms of chicken on the bone.
- 1 large onion.
- 2 liters of water.
- 1 carrot.
- 2 peas of black pepper.
- 1 bay leaf.
- Salt to taste.
Since we are cooking the broth, and not cooking the meat, we lower the chicken into the dishes with water, breast down. True, some cut it out, but this is a matter of personal preference.
In the meantime, the carrots are peeled and either wholly sent to the meat or cut into rings or figures as they wish.
Some peel the onions and, cutting it in half, put in a pan with carrots. In some chicken stock recipes, it is recommended to rinse the onions directly in the husk and send it to cook. It is believed that this will give the broth a beautiful golden hue.
When the vegetables are fully cooked, they are removed. All that they could give the dish is already in it.
When the chicken meat is already easily separated from the bone, it is seasoned with salt and pepper, and bay leaf is also added. Since the broth is cooked without a lid, it is important to add water to it regularly.
The final note of cooking the broth can be considered filtering. Now you can choose the recipe for a simple soup in chicken broth.
Noodles soup
The most delicious and popular variant of soup on the broth is considered the option with noodles. But how to cook this flour product yourself?
In general, noodles are essentially a kind of pasta. To prepare them, you do not need so many ingredients:
- 2 eggs.
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil.
- 150 ml of cold water, preferably boiled.
- 2.5 cups flour.
Everything except flour should be mixed in a separate bowl. By volume, the resulting mass should be about one glass. It is believed that the classic whisk is the best option for mixing, but no one refuses a more technological solution in the form of a mixer.
Now you need to introduce the flour. But how? Those who have already dealt with thick dough know that there is no better way to knead it than pour the previously prepared liquid into the flour. To do this, form a small slide on the table with a depression in the middle. Pour the eggs with oil and water there and gently mix the liquid with the loose substance.
The dough should be soft and resilient. Before starting to cut the noodles, many housewives recommend giving the test a "rest". This should be allocated about half an hour.
How to chop noodles
It is time to cook the noodles directly. To do this, divide the dough into 7-8 parts and roll each of them as thin as possible using a rolling pin. If there is none in the house, replace it with a simple glass bottle. Sheet thickness should not exceed 2 mm.
Before you start cutting thin strips of noodles, each rolled sheet must be set aside. Let it lie for about 15 minutes in order to dry enough. Then it will be easy enough to cut.
In general, noodles are usually cut into small rectangles, ribbons. It is not only convenient, but also aesthetically pleasing, especially when you know that it will be part of the chicken broth soup recipe. The photo shows how beautifully looked homemade noodles with sliced chicken in a transparent broth.
Let's get to the soup
Next, to prepare such a dish, add chopped homemade noodles to the boiling broth. While it cooks for 15 minutes, you can chop the chicken and fry the meat from it.
Next, in the finished noodles add meat, chopped green onions, carrots, parsley and dill. Serve the noodles to the table always hot. Many people like it when they offer sour cream to this dish or put half a boiled egg on a plate.
Meatball Soup
No less delicious can be considered a soup with meatballs, in which chicken broth is the basis. The recipe is simple and affordable even for those who do not have much money. All components can be found in the kitchen of any hostess.
Since we have already reviewed the recipe with a photo of delicious chicken broth, we will figure out how to cook meatballs, they will require:
- 1 onion.
- A tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- 300 grams of minced meat from any meat.
- A pair of garlic cloves.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
Onions are fried in a pan and mixed with crushed garlic and other ingredients. A thoroughly mixed mixture will be an ideal base for meatballs. To complete their preparation, form small balls with wet hands. The optimal size is a 5 ruble coin or a quail egg.
While the meatballs are cooked in the broth, peel and chop the potatoes into small cubes. It should be sent to the pan literally 7 minutes after the meatballs along with chopped carrots. Two minutes before the potatoes are fully cooked, some put a little fine vermicelli in the soup.
Such a soup is distinguished by its satiety. Serve it better with lightly sprinkled greens.
Borsch on chicken stock
Some mistakenly believe that only pork is suitable as a basis for borsch. Here is a simple recipe with chicken broth, which has a mild flavor and speed of preparation. Moreover, this soup is lightweight, which will delight those who have difficulty metabolizing heavy foods.
In this recipe there will be no classical frying, therefore the broth will not be the most ordinary - it will be based on chicken fillet. For him, the meat is cut into small sticks and sent to cold water on fire. Many before this cleanse it of fatty layers.
While the meat will boil over low heat, it is necessary to prepare the vegetables. Potatoes are diced, like a tomato. While onions and garlic are crushed as finely as possible, carrots and beets are rubbed on a medium grater. Cabbage is finely chopped.
All the time the meat is cooked, it is necessary to remove foam from it. When it is ready, already prepared onions and carrots are added to it.
7 minutes will be enough to move on to the next step. It's about tomatoes. Spread them carefully. The juice remaining on the board can be sent to boiling liquid.
Before potatoes are sent to the pan, it should take about 10 minutes. Next comes the cabbage. Put it only after the potatoes boil.
Beets are added 7 minutes before the potatoes are fully cooked. The final step is to add chopped greens and infuse the borscht under the lid for at least 10 minutes.
Serving such a soup is best with sour cream and garlic buns. Those who have already prepared it leave only positive reviews.
Summarizing the above
In fact, there are countless recipes for delicious chicken broth soup in the world. It remains only to allocate time in order to prepare and try them all. True, it is important to learn how to cook chicken broth first.