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A crock of chicken soup with a salad in the background - square
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Good Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

Always have old fashioned chicken soup ready for those coughs and colds or just for a warming winter meal option with this recipe
Course Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword old fashioned chicken soup
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 12 cups
Calories 190kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 - 3 pounds whole organic chicken (washed and dried)
  • 1 pound carrots (cut in chunks)
  • 1 large onion (cut in chunks)
  • 1 stalk celery (cut in slices)
  • 32 ounces chicken broth (organic, I use Trader Joe's brand)
  • 2 cups water
  • bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons basil
  • 2 tablespoons parsley
  • 2 tablespoons tarragon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 cup orzo pasta

Instructions

  • Place chicken in stockpot and pour chicken broth and water in the pot. Turn heat on high and bring to a boil.
    2 - 3 pounds whole organic chicken, 32 ounces chicken broth, 2 cups water
  • Immediately lower to a simmer and add carrots, onion, celery, bay leaf, basil, parsley, tarragon, salt and pepper.
    1 pound carrots, 1 large onion, 1 stalk celery, bay leaf, 2 tablespoons basil, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 tablespoons tarragon, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper
  • Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
  • Add orzo and stir. Cook for additional 15 minutes.
    1 cup orzo pasta
  • Take chicken out of pot and remove meat from bones and return meat back to the pot and stir.
  • Ladle chicken soup in some bowls or crocks.
  • Eat
  • Enjoy

Notes

Helpful tips
  • I usually get organic, free-range chicken because I prefer the taste. I also like that there isn't any added antibiotics, hormones or anything else I don't want to ingest. Try buying organic and you'll never go back.
  • They’ve changed their recommendation on whether to wash poultry before cooking it. They now say that washing chicken increases the chances of getting food poisoning and of cross contaminating other things, like tools, surfaces and utensils in the kitchen. Just take it out of the package and pat it dry inside and out with some paper towels.
  • I use orzo in my soup but if you prefer, you can add noodles, rice or another small pasta like ditalini.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 40mg | Sodium: 541mg | Potassium: 373mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 6530IU | Vitamin C: 10.6mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1.4mg