Nothing brings me back home like a piping hot bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup. I remember my mom used to wake up extra early on Saturday mornings to throw a chicken and all of the ingredients into a large pot of soup to simmer throughout the day.
I would wake up to the smell of the soup coming through the cracks in my door. It’s amazing how certain foods can take us back to special places in our lives.
My kids now share the same experience each time that I make a pot of my mamas chicken noodle soup. They like to climb up onto the kitchen counter and watch me throw everything together. Every 30 minutes or so Claire will come and say “mama is the supa ready?”
I like to go to the store either that morning or the night before to buy the freshest ingredients possible. In the summertime, the farmers markets local finds are the most flavorful.
I got this recipe from both my mom and my mother in-law (they are both Romanian and both amazing cooks!) and if you are looking for a foolproof, delicious, and memorable chicken soup recipe that is good for the body and soul, keep reading!
Ingredients:
- 1 Whole Chicken + for more fatty soup and more flavor, add extra legs, thighs and wings
- One Whole Celery Stock, cut into chunks, leaves included
- 5 Large Carrots, cut into chunks
- 3 Medium Onions, cut in half
- 1 Large Turnip, cut into chunks
- Fresh Parsley
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 10-15 Whole Peppercorns
- Salt to Taste
- 4 -8 Quarts Cold Water depending how much you want to make. I usually make 8 quarts for freezing!
- No MSG Vegeta
Instructions:
- Place all of the Ingredients except the Vegeta into the largest soup pot you can possibly find.
- Slowly bring to a boil then reduce heat. Let Simmer for 3-4 hours, skimming foam off the top as needed.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and set aside to cool.
- When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove it from the bones.
- Add the bones back to the soup and simmer for another hour. Add Vegeta to taste (this is something I think every Romanian living in the US adds to their soup and it makes the soup so delicious, but is not required!)
- Strain the broth and either discard the vegetables or add the carrots back in if you like chunky noodle soup.
- For Freezing: Allow broth to cool for about an hour then pour into freezer safe jars. Leave an inch or two of room to allow the frozen liquid to have room to expand. Store in a freezer for up to 3 months!
No MSG Vegeta can be hard to find. I usually buy it from a local Russian or European deli but you can also find it on Amazon! I’ve also linked up my large soup pot.
Enjoy!!
