Italian Chicken Soup
The Broth Will Keep, Covered, In The Fridge For Up To 1 Week & In The Freezer For Up To 6 Months.
4 Split Chicken Breasts, Skin On (about 4 Lbs)
3 Sm Onions, Peeled
4 Celery Ribs, Quartered
3 Carrots, Peeled & Quartered
1 Tsp Salt
6 Whole Black Peppercorns
One Piece Of Parmesan Cheese Rind, About 2 Inches Wide Optional)
A Few Handfuls Of Broken Spaghetti (about 1-inch Pieces),
Cooked Until Al Dente
Freshly Grated Paremsan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Finely Chopped (optional)
Place The Chicken Breasts In A Soup Pot & Cover With Cold Water By 2 Inches. Bring To A Boil, Skimming Any Froth, Then Reduce The Heat To Low. Add The Onions, Celery, Carrots, Salt, Peppercorns & Parmesan Rind, & Simmer, Partially Covered, Until The Chicken Is Cooked Through, 1 Hour. Remove The Chicken & Set Aside.
Continue To Simmer The Soup, Uncovered, For 1 Hour Longer, Then Remove The Carrots & Onions & Set The Vegetables Aside.
Strain The Broth Through A Sieve Into A Large Bowl. Using The Back Of A Wooden Spoon, Press The Celery To Release Its Juice (& Flavour).
If Planning To Eat The Soup Right Away, Skim The Surface & Discard Any Fat. If Not, Cool The Soup Completely & Chill, Covered, In The Refridgerator. Before Reheating, Skim The Fat.
Serve The Chicken Soup With Torn Pieces Of The Chicken & The Carrots, Onions, Spaghetti, Parmesan & Parsley.
Makes 6 Servings.