Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

[Tulip]

I got some whole chickens on sale at Kroger yesterday. One dish I want to make is chicken soup but I normally cook it with breasts.

Anybody have a good recipe for making it with the entire chicken? Should I remove the skin before cooking or does it add something to the broth?

[kia027]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

i remove the skin b4 cooking.. then cook it and add all of the stuff, the pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, celery, etc

[Tulip]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

Thanks Kia. I'm going to cook it tomorrow and have removed the skin. I'll get the bones out after I cook it but I do believe they add something to the taste that I have been missing.

[diabolical_Tanya]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

Twolips I don't know about a whole chicken unless it is very small or you cooking a big pot.

but this is how I do it with chicken back/thigh/wing etc.

chop up onion, garlic and celery - sweat that in a little bit of oil in the soup pot,
then add the chicken (I season it with all purpose and black pepper) brown the pieces on all sides then add water and bring to a gentle boil.

then add your veggies in order of how long they take to cook.

I usually add a pack of grace cock soup or chicken bouillon mid way through and season to taste.

remember that potato reduces salt so check and re-season after the potato is almost cooked.

[Tulip]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

That sounds good T. I am going to use a big pot lol.

I have a packet of cock soup but could never figure out when to use it. I wonder if it has expired. If so, I'll stick with the bouillon.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

Put the chicken in a pot cover it with water skin and all.
Chop up about half cup of celery, half cup onions, a clove of garlic a couple of bay (laurel) leaves and a little thyme.

Bring to a boil, turn down and simmer for about forty minutes.
Remove the chicken and set it out to cool.

When it is cool enough pull it apart and put the meat you'd want to eat later in the finished soup aside and throw the skin, bones and all else back in the soup pot soup and let it simmer for another hour.

Then strain out the stock and add your veggies and cook until they're as done as you like them. Salt and pepper to taste and add in the reserved chicken pieces.


The key to good soup is the stock. Feet make great stock and the more chicken parts in ratio to the water, the stronger the stock will be.

Weak soup comes from not enough chicken and can be fixed by adding boullion or cock soup or by cooking the soup down to concentrate the flavor.

For some nice and different soup dumplings try Manischevitz (spelling is off) matzo ball mix located in the Jewish/kosher foods section. They come out light, fluffy and eggy and are easy to make.

[Tulip]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

JC, you always surprise me with your cooking skills. You need to frequent this forum more often.

The skin is gone down the garbage disposal now. I've decided to bake half and boil the other half to make chicken salad.

I'll try the soup with the skin in tact Saturday. My stock has been a little on the weak side using just the breasts.

Oh, and I live in a neighborhood that is heavily populated by Jews. They just had a holiday of some sort or it's in progress. All of their food stuffs which includes matzo ball mix are on sale at Publix.

[kia027]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Tulip</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Oh, and I live in a neighborhood that is heavily populated by Jews. They just had a holiday of some sort or it's in progress. All of their food stuffs which includes matzo ball mix are on sale at Publix. </div></div>

this just stood out for me because in the NY area you would have defnitely known the holiday Rosh Hashanah started Sept 29 and Yom Kippur was Oct 7-8 The TV stations announce Happy Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and report when Yom Kippur (day of atonement) starts.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

Thank you Tulip,

I am not spending as much time at the fora but am keeping up with the few that I still will participate in.

I like chicken soup made in a variety of ways so your post grabbed my attention.

About matzo balls: they are dumplings but nothing like the chewy Jamaican style variety because they are light and fluffy.
Made incorrectly from scratch matzo balls will sometimes come out chewy and I happen to like them that way but the Manischevitz mix is foolproof.

I would have thought that Chinese style rice porridge (congee) would be a Jamaican favorite and staple at restaurants. It makes a great breakfast, lunch or dinner and you can add any number of veggies, meat or fish to the basic porridge.

It is made with chicken, 12 cups of water and a cup of rice and cooked down for about three hours and at the end a couple of beaten eggs are whisked in and toasted sesame oil and chopped scallion are added on top when served.
It freezes nicely so you don't have to eat that big pot full right away and you'll have a quick and delicious meal when you don't have the time to make something else.

I'll post the entire recipe if anyone requests it.

A friend (accurately I think) described the taste as being like chicken pot pie, that sort of thick richness.

Greek egg lemon soup is another good one.

My favorite in Chinatown is their basic chicken stock soup (most Chinese sauces and soups are chicken based) with egg noodles, wonton and roast duck and on the side, one of those fried dough -fried in peanut oil -things that go so well with their soup.

Try the Half Chinese Diet if overweight.

You can take as much as you want but you get just one chopstick to eat it with.

[Suesumba]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

remove the skin, boil the chicken and then debone the chicken-cook the provisions and put the boned chicken back into the stock after everything cook.

i'd cut the chicken at the joints to make handling easier.

[johnnycakes]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

Why remove the skin?
If fat is the concern then let the stock cool after it's all cooked and then skim off the fat.
If you refrigerate the stock, the fat will solidify on top of the stock and you can get virtually all of it out very easily.

The skin is still chicken and adds to the strength of the stock.
You can take it out with the bones and cartilage at the end.

I hate wasting anything.

[Suesumba]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

i don't like the skin. the feet add more to the stock more than the skin imo.

[mountaingal]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnycakes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I would have thought that Chinese style rice porridge (congee) would be a Jamaican favorite and staple at restaurants. It makes a great breakfast, lunch or dinner and you can add any number of veggies, meat or fish to the basic porridge.

It is made with chicken, 12 cups of water and a cup of rice and cooked down for about three hours and at the end a couple of beaten eggs are whisked in and toasted sesame oil and chopped scallion are added on top when served.
It freezes nicely so you don't have to eat that big pot full right away and you'll have a quick and delicious meal when you don't have the time to make something else.

<span style="font-weight: bold">I'll post the entire recipe if anyone requests it</span>.</div></div>

please post. my first breakfast in thailand back in jan 2010 was a bowl of congee with minced pork, bought from a street vendor. it was amazing.

[Tulip]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Kia</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> this just stood out for me because in the NY area you would have defnitely known the holiday Rosh Hashanah started Sept 29 and Yom Kippur was Oct 7-8 The TV stations announce Happy Rosh Hashanah (the new year) and report when Yom Kippur (day of atonement) starts.

</div></div>

I think they did say it on the news but it didn't take. I can't even get pork seasoning meat for my greens on this side of town, I have developed quite a taste for lamb though.

[Tulip]

Re: Chicken soup with whole chicken recipe

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: johnnycakes</div><div class="ubbcode-body">...Greek egg lemon soup is another good one...
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