Ultimate Chicken Noodle Soup

This is a fantastic soup!


Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds skin on chicken thighs

1 1/4 pepper, divided

1/2 tsp. salt

1 Tbsp. canola oil

1 large onion, chopped ( about 2 cups)

1 garlic clove, minced

10 cups chicken broth

4 celery ribs, chopped ( about 2 cups)

4 medium carrots, chopped ( about 2 cups)

2 bay leaves

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme or 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

3 cups uncooked kluski noodles or any other egg noodles

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 6 quart stockpot over med/high heat. Add chicken in batches, skin side down. Cook for 3-4 minutes until the skin is dark golden brown. Remove chicken from the pan. Carefully remove skin from the chicken. Discard the skin. Reserve 2 Tbsp of the drippings from the skins.

2. Add onions to the drippings from the skin. Cook and stir onions over med/high heat until tender. Add minced garlic, cook 1 minute. Add broth stirring the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring to boil. Return the chicken to the pan. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce heat-simmer covered for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is tender.

3. Remove chicken from the stockpot and transfer to a large plate. Remove the stockpot from heat. Add noodles to the broth and let stand to 20 minutes covered in the stockpot.

4. When chicken is cool enough to handle take the meat off the bones and shed ( I added it to my food processor). Add meat back to the stockpot. Stir in parsley, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Remove bay leaves.