Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs (900g) bone-in chicken thighs or a small whole chicken
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered (for broth)
  • 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped (for broth)
  • 3 celery stalks, roughly chopped (for broth)
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp (5ml) whole black peppercorns
  • 10 cups (2.4 Litres) cold water
  • Salt to taste (start with 1 tsp)
  • 1 Tbsp (15ml) unsalted butter or olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (for soup base)
  • 2 medium carrots, finely diced (for soup base)
  • 2 celery stalks, finely diced (for soup base)
  • 6 oz (170g) wide egg noodles
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Start the Stock: Place chicken, quartered onion, broth carrots, broth celery, smashed garlic, thyme bundle, bay leaves, and peppercorns into the stockpot. Cover completely with cold water.
  2. Simmer and Skim: Bring the water slowly to a gentle simmer over medium heat. As it heats, diligently skim any grey foam (scum) rising to the surface using a slotted spoon and discard it.
  3. Slow Cook: Once skimmed, reduce the heat to low. Cover partially and let it simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Do not allow it to boil vigorously.
  4. Strain the Broth: Carefully remove the chicken pieces and set them aside to cool. Pour the entire contents of the pot through a fine-mesh sieve into a large, clean bowl, discarding all the boiled vegetables and aromatics.
  5. Shred the Chicken: Once cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones. Shred or dice the cooked chicken meat into bite-sized pieces.
  6. Sauté Mirepoix: In the now-cleaned stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion, soup carrots, and soup celery. Sauté gently for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent.
  7. Combine and Season: Pour the strained broth back into the pot with the sautéed vegetables. Bring the mixture to a steady, rolling simmer. Taste the broth and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  8. Cook Noodles: Add the egg noodles to the simmering broth. Cook according to package directions (usually 6–8 minutes) until al dente. Do not overcook!
  9. Final Integration: Stir in the shredded chicken meat during the last minute of cooking to just heat it through.
  10. Serve: Ladle into warm bowls and garnish heavily with fresh chopped parsley.