Every culture has their chicken soup, and I might be biased, but I think Djej wa Rez is the absolute best! Fargee (chicken) and ruz (rice) come together in a “souper-soothing” recipe, which combines sweet Vidalia onions, heaps of fresh herbs, and an infusion of cinnamon. Toasted buttery vermicelli noodles add depth to this cold-weather comforting cure-all, which I find lighter and more flavorful than classic chicken noodle soup. 
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
One 3- to 4-pound whole chicken
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt, plus more if needed
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups long-grain rice, uncooked
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 small Vidalia onion, finely minced
2 small shallots, finely minced
2 angel hair noodle nests or 1 cup crushed vermicelli noodles (see here)
½ pound fresh sweet peas
3 carrots, peeled and cubed
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground Sab’ah Baharat (Seven-Spice)
Remove the chicken from its packaging and place on a baking sheet. Discard the neck, gizzards, and giblets or reserve for another use.
Place the whole chicken in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with 16 cups of cold water. Place the pot on the stovetop, uncovered.
Wash all of the fresh herbs and add them to the pot. Add the coarse sea salt and cinnamon stick to the pot, and turn the heat to high. When the water comes to a rolling boil, about 15 minutes, foam will start to rise to the top of the pot. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, skim off any foam and discard. As the soup continues to cook, continue to skim and discard the foam. Once the broth has stopped foaming, reduce the heat to low, add the rice, and simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken and the rice are thoroughly cooked.
While the chicken is cooking, place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the butter, onion, and shallots. Once the onion and shallots turn translucent, crush the angel hair or vermicelli noodles in your hands and into the pan and stir to combine with the onion and shallots. Toast the noodles thoroughly until they are a deep, dark brown color and give off a nutty aroma, then remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Check the chicken at this point; it should be cooked through and tender—almost falling off the bone. Using tongs, remove it from the broth and place it on a cutting board. Allow it to cool just until it can be handled.
Add the peas, carrots, and noodles mixture to the broth and season with the allspice and seven-spice mix and stir thoroughly. Taste, and add additional salt if needed.
When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones. Using your hands or a fork and carving knife, shred the meat. Return the shredded chicken to the broth and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb the flavor of the soup. Serve hot.
