SERVES 4 TO 6
When skimming the fat off the stock, we prefer to leave a little bit on the surface to enhance the soup’s flavor.
STOCK |
|
|
1 |
tablespoon vegetable oil |
|
1 |
pound ground chicken |
|
1 |
small onion, chopped medium |
|
1 |
medium carrot, peeled and chopped medium |
|
1 |
celery rib, chopped medium |
|
2 |
quarts low-sodium chicken broth |
|
4 |
cups water |
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2 |
bay leaves |
|
2 |
teaspoons table salt |
|
2 |
(12-ounce) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, cut in half crosswise |
SOUP |
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|
¼ |
cup cold water |
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3 |
tablespoons cornstarch |
|
1 |
small onion, halved and sliced thin |
|
2 |
medium carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut crosswise into ¾-inch pieces |
|
1 |
medium celery rib, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces |
|
1 |
medium russet potato (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes |
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1½ |
ounces egg noodles (about 1 cup) |
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4–6 |
Swiss chard leaves, ribs removed, torn into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups; optional) |
|
1 |
tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves |
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Table salt and ground black pepper |
1. FOR THE STOCK: Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the ground chicken, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes (do not brown the chicken).
2. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the broth, water, bay leaves, salt, and chicken breasts; cover and cook for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. (If the liquid is already boiling when the lid is removed, remove the chicken breasts immediately and continue with the recipe.) Transfer the chicken breasts to a large plate and set aside. Continue to cook the stock for 20 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle boil. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a container, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Allow the liquid to settle about 5 minutes and skim off the fat (see note). (The strained stock can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. The chicken breasts can be stored in a zipper-lock bag with the air squeezed out.)
3. FOR THE SOUP: Return the stock to a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch until a smooth slurry forms; stir into the stock and bring to a gentle boil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and potato and cook until the potato pieces are almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain a gentle boil. Add the egg noodles and continue to cook until all the vegetables and noodles are tender, about 5 minutes longer.
4. Meanwhile, remove the skin and bones from the reserved cooked chicken and discard. Shred the meat with your fingers or two forks. Add the shredded chicken, Swiss chard (if using), and parsley to the soup and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.