Chicken in the pot

6 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Chicken (3 1/2 pounds), cut in half
1 large Onion, roots trimmed but left unpeeled
1 large Carrot, scraped
1 Stalk celery with leaves
1 Sprig parsley and 1 sprig dill, tied together
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt
¼ pounds Egg noodles
1 tablespoon Finely minced fresh parsley

Directions

Pull off as much of the yellow fat as possible from the chicken.

Place the chicken halves in a 5- to 6-quart pot along with the gizzard, neck and heart. (Reserve the liver for another purpose.) Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 5 minutes, skimming off any scum and foam from the surface.

Lower the heat to simmer and add the vegetables, herbs and garlic.

Stir in salt to taste, as much as one tablespoon. Simmer gently for 1¼ hours, until the chicken is done. Do not let the liquid boil at any time or the finished product will be cloudy.

When the chicken is done, remove it and the vegetables from the pot and set it aside, covered, to keep warm. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer or a clean linen napkin set in a strainer. Rinse out the pot and return the liquid to the pot. The soup should be clear and golden, with very little fat on the surface. Chilling overnight will allow you to remove all the fat, if you wish. Dice the carrot, peel and halve the onion and halve the celery. Discard the rest of the cooked vegetables and herbs.

Cook the noodles in a separate pot of boiling water until tender; set aside, covered, to keep warm. Remove the skin from the chicken and cut the chicken into serving pieces.

To serve, reheat the soup to a simmer and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes. Place a few pieces of chicken in each of four deep bowls along with some of the noodles and diced vegetables.

Ladle hou soup over each serving. Sprinkle with minced parsley and serve.

Yield: Four servings.

[ Florence Fabricant in The New York Times; Jan 3, 1988 ] Posted by Fred Peters.

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