Chicken Noodle Soup

What is it about chicken soup that just warms you straight to your soul?  Here in the great state of South Carolina we occasionally get some cold weather - well at least for us.  This weekend was a normal winter weekend normal cold by our standards - highs in the upper 40's and lows just below freezing to upper 20's.  Brrrrr...    I like it.  I like soup weather and this weekend was it.

I started by boiling my whole chicken with some onions, celery and carrots.  No need to peel or chop fine.  Just quarter the onions, and break the celery and carrots.  I added some bay leaf and thyme too, as well as salt and pepper.  No measurements - just season to your tastes.  Then bring it all to a boil and reduce to a simmer for an hour or so. 

Remove the chicken to be deboned and then strain the broth into another pot to reserve this wonderful broth.  I usually to sit for a bit and let the fat settle to the top then skim it, and it's even better if you can refrigerate it over night to do so.

So now were ready to make soup.

Add to the wonderfully golden broth -

All the deboned pulled/shredded chicken
1 pound bag of carrots, peeled and chopped into 3/4 inch chunks
1 large onion chopped
5 stalks of celery, washed and sliced to your liking
    (I like the celery in this soup to be about a half inch)
Thyme, basil, and garlic powder to taste.

Bring these ingredients to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook for an hour or longer.
 ( you want the carrots to be softened but not mushy)

Once the carrots have softened add a one pound bag of egg noodles and a 1/2 bag of frozen peas.
Cook these for another 10 minutes or so stirring often.

Serve with a crusty bread like a loaf of French bread.

Enjoy!