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Chicken Stock And Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• One 3 to 4-pound chicken, whole or in parts
• 1 large onion, cut in half
• 4 large garlic cloves
• 3 large carrots, 1 whole, 2 chopped
• 3 large celery stalks, 1 whole, 2 chopped; leaves reserved for garnish
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh parsley, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound small pasta like shells, orzo, or broken angel hair

Directions

1. Combine the chicken, onion, garlic, whole carrot, whole celery stalk, bay leaves, and parsley in a stockpot.
2. Add 8 cups water.
3. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid bubbles but steadily.
4. Cover and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked, 30 to 40 minutes for parts, 50 to 60 minutes for a whole one.
5. If necessary, add water to keep the chicken submerged.
6. To check for doneness, use a slotted spoon or tongs to lift out some chicken and pierce it.
7. The meat should be white and maybe starting to fall off in places.
8. Carefully transfer the chicken from the pot to a bowl with tongs.
9. When it's cool enough to handle, pull off and discard the skin; pull the meat off the bones and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
10. Reserve 2 cups for the soup and refrigerate the rest for another use.
11. Put a strainer or colander over a pot and pour in the stock; press down on the vegetables to extract as much liquid as possible, then discard them.
12. Skim the fat off the top to get 7 cups; if less, add some water.
13. Sprinkle the stock with salt and pepper.
14. Put the pot over medium-high heat.
15. Bring it just to a boil, then lower the heat so that the liquid bubbles steadily.
16. Add the chopped carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes.
17. Stir in the pasta and the reserved 2 cups chicken; adjust the heat so the mixture bubbles steadily and keep cooking another 5 to 10 minutes.
18. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish with the reserved celery leaves, and serve.

Attribution