Chicken Soup

Chicken Soup © kvalifood.com

Chicken soup is a clear, flavorful broth made from a whole stewing hen with root vegetables. It takes time, but is simple to make. The dumplings are added to the soup at serving, and the chicken meat is brought to the table afterwards with a good sauce.

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • 1 large oven-ready stewing hen (2–2½ kg)
  • optional marrow bones
  • 2–2½ l water
  • bouquet garni
  • 2 carrots
  • ½ celeriac
  • 2 leeks
  • salt

To serve

  • meatballs or flour dumplings

Method

Preparation

Remove any kidneys and lungs from the hen. Place it in a large pot with any marrow bones. Cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a boil and skim thoroughly.

Cooking

Add the bouquet garni and salt. Turn down the heat and put the lid on. Clean the carrots and celeriac and add them to the pot. Remove the vegetables as they become tender. Cook the hen for 1½–2½ hours in total, depending on size — it is done when the meat comes away easily from the leg.

Finishing

Remove the hen and discard the skin. Strain the broth and skim off the fat. Clean the leeks, slice them, and cook in the broth for about 10 minutes. Dice the remaining vegetables and warm them in the broth. Season with salt. Warm the dumplings in the soup just before serving — do not let the soup boil after this point.

Serve

Serve the soup with dumplings and vegetables. The chicken meat is served afterwards with curry sauce and rice, horseradish sauce, or mushroom sauce.

Notes

  • Always start with cold water — it draws out impurities and gives a clearer broth
  • Skim thoroughly at the beginning; that is the key to a clear, flavorful soup
  • A stewing hen gives more flavor than a regular chicken, but the cooking time is correspondingly longer
  • Marrow bones can be added for more depth and body in the broth
  • Freezing: approx. 4 months