This is somewhat time consuming but very good!
Ingredients:
- Onion
- 3 or 4 stalks of celery
- A chicken (you can use a whole chicken or whatever pieces you want)
- Frozen noodles or dumplings (I used the Reames and used two bags since they are small. My dad says he uses 1 bag of Reese's brand)
- Olive oil
- Salt & pepper
- Carrots (optional)
Chop up the celery, onion and toss it in a Dutch oven or large pot.
Saute until it is limp and glossy. Add about 2 teaspoons of salt to the pan, along with the chicken. (You can cut it up or just put it in whole. If whole, be sure to wash it well inside and out.) Add enough water to cover the chicken.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for at 90 minutes. (I found that you can cook it less than 90 minutes. If the chicken is cooked through and pulls apart easily, it is done.) Put a lid on the pot but do not cover completely or it will boil over.
Remove the chicken from the pot and put on a plate or plater to cool. (My husband does not like onions so I strained the onions and celery out of the broth but that's optional. If I was leaving them in I would have chopped them more finely before sauteing.)
Bring broth up to a rolling boil and add the noodles. If you like,you can also add carrots (or frozen peas or probably a lot of other veggie options). I added carrots for color. You should have plenty of broth to cover the noodles, as a lot will be absorbed during cooking. If it looks too dry, just add some water. The noodles will need to cook for about 25 minutes, reduce to a simmer once the broth comes back up to a boil, cook these uncovered.
Let the chicken cool, then shred it apart. (I use two forks.) Toss out the skin and bones. When you're done, toss the chicken back into the pot with the noddles and broth. You may need to add salt, and a little pepper to your taste. (I think I threw a few other spices in there too.)
Yum! My son can't wait to be old enough to try it!
