- 10
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oil in a large soup kettle. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the chicken breasts and saute until brown on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Add half the chopped onions, and saute until slightly softened (about 2 to 3 minutes). Transfer to a medium bowl and set aside.
Add half of the pieces of chicken and saute until no longer pink (4 to 5 minutes). Transfer to the bowl with onions.
Saute remaining chicken pieces. Return the onions and cooked chicken (excluding the breasts) to the kettle, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the chicken releases its juices (about 20 minutes).
Increase the heat to high, add boiling water along with breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves. Return to a simmer, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes (or until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is flavorful).
Remove chicken breasts from the kettle, set aside. Once cooled, remove the skin from the breasts, then remove the meat from the bones.
Shred the meat to bite-sized pieces.
Discard the skin and bone.
Strain the broth and set aside for now, discarding the bones and skimming the fat from the broth (while reserving 2 tablespoons).
Return the soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat, remaining onions, carrot, and celery. Saute until softened (about 5 minutes).
Add garlic and saute until fragrant (about 1 minutes)
Add thyme, broth, and chicken, then simmer until the vegetables are tender (about 10 to 15 minutes).
Add noodles and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).
Adjust seasonings, then stir in parsley. Serve hot with crackers or bread.