Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Real chicken noodle soup starts with a whole chicken, not bouillon and a rotisserie carcass. Six pounds of bird simmer for two and a half hours with onion, celery, parsley, peppercorns, cloves, bay, and thyme, building a broth with real body from the bones and collagen that no box can touch.

Then comes the best part: homemade egg noodles made from just flour, salt, one egg, and a splash of milk. Rolled thin, cut into ragged half-inch strips, and dropped right into the simmering pot. Fifteen minutes later you have tender, toothsome noodles with a slight chew that dried pasta simply cannot match.

Chef Tips

• Strain the broth and skim the fat as directed, but save the schmaltz. That rendered chicken fat is liquid gold for roasting potatoes or sauteing greens later in the week.
• Add the carrots with the returned chicken, not at the start. Two-hour simmered carrots go flabby and lose color. Twenty minutes of gentle simmer keeps them bright and just tender.
• Rest the noodle dough 15 minutes before rolling. The gluten relaxes and the dough rolls out thin without springing back to tough, thick noodles.
• Dust the noodles generously with flour before cutting to prevent sticking, and shake off the excess before adding to the pot or the broth will turn cloudy and starchy.

Variations

• Add a handful of chopped fresh dill at the end for a bright, European-leaning finish.
• Stir in a cup of sliced mushrooms with the chicken and carrots for an earthier soup.
• Use the strained broth as stock for matzo ball soup or a risotto later in the week.