Homemade Chicken Broth

Any chicken soup can be made with homemade broth. This broth is made with whole chickens. However, the flavour won’t be as rich. You can substitute store-bought broth for the meat if you are short on time.

Serves 6-8

Use a small knife or your fingers to remove the skin, starting at 1 3 lb. chicken.

Rinse the chicken and place it in a heavy-duty, 8-quart pot or Dutch oven. You will need to add enough cold water to submerge the chicken completely. Cover the pot with a lid and leave it slightly open. Bring the mixture to a boil on high heat. Then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook on medium heat, occasionally scraping any foam from the surface for about 30 minutes.

Add 2 medium chopped and peeled carrots, 2 medium celery stalks chopped into 2-inch pieces, 1 medium yellow onions cut into 1/2-inch wedges, and 1-1/2 Tbs. 2 Tbs. Kosher salt. Freshly ground black pepper. Allow the vegetables to soften, and then cook the chicken for 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large, rimmed baking sheet using tongs and a spoon. Allow the chicken to cool down for 10 minutes.

While you prepare the broth, set aside the shredded chicken. Meanwhile, simmer the broth with a lid on. Use your fingers to pull the meat from its bones. Once it is cooled, shape the meat into small pieces.

Then return the carcass to the broth. Continue simmering, partially covered, for about 30 minutes until vegetables are fully softened and the flavour intensifies. Add water to cover the broth and bring it back to a simmer if the water level falls below the solids.

Discard the broth carcass. Strain the broth using a fine sieve placed over a pot or in a large bowl. Gently press the solids on a large spoon to squeeze out any broth remaining. There will be approximately 3 quarts. The broth can be frozen for up to three months or refrigerated for 3 days.

Season the broth and infuse it

Mix any spices or herbs you like (see options above), and cook for about 30 seconds. Stir frequently until fragrant.

Bring 3 quarts of broth to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and continue to cook for 20-30 minutes, occasionally stirring, until all the vegetables are tender and the aromatics are infused into the broth. Remove any large aromatics and spices.

Add the starches to the vegetables.

Pre-cooking starches such as potatoes and noodles are essential to avoid absorbing too much broth. Cannellini beans are an exception. They can be added to the soup once they have been thoroughly rinsed.

In boiling water, boil the starches you choose (see options below). They will continue to cook in the soup. It would help if you rinsed them after cooking soba or udon, egg, or ramen noodles. Add them to the soup, the reserved chicken, and any choice of vegetables (see below). Let simmer, occasionally stirring, for 5-10 minutes, or until the flavours have melded.

Serve the soup.

You can add either lemon juice or vinegar to your soup. Their acid will brighten the flavour and make it more delicious.

Mix in any choice of finishes, adding a small amount at a time and changing the flavour as needed. Salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish the soup

Serve in bowls. Garnish with a few tortilla strips or 1 Tbs. You can also add any other garnishes (see below) to each serving.