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Chicken Noodle Soup

When I make homemade Chicken Noodle Soup I use a whole fryer or broiler chicken. I don't use all the meat for the soup. Once the broth has simmered several hours I allow the broth to cool enough to handle the chicken. Remove the chicken using a small colander with a handle. Take off the two breasts and use them for another meal that needs chopped chicken. The options are endless. You could make a casserole or just use it for sandwiches or for wraps. Since the chicken had simmered in the seasoned broth. . .it will be flavorful for another use. With the rest of the chicken I remove from the bones from the meat and put the meat back into the broth. If we are not eating the soup that day .. .I refrigerate the broth and then before reheating .. .I remove all the solid fat at the top of the broth.

  • 1 chicken
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 10 peppercorns
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 cloves
  • a small handful chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Maggi seasoning ( optional )
  • salt to taste
  1. Put your chicken in a soup pot and cover with water.
  2. Bring to a boil and add the spices (not the parsley) which you have tied into a bit of cheesecloth.
  3. Simmer for 2 -3 hours.
  4. Remove from heat and take chicken off the bones when it is cool enough to handle.
  5. Remove the breasts and refrigerate for another use. Remove the rest of the meat from the bones and put back into the broth.
  6. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and the Maggi seasoning and parsley.
  7. Simmer for 1/2 hour and taste and adjust the salt and Maggi seasoning if needed.
  8. Serve the broth over cooked fine egg noodles. (Do not store leftover soup with noodles. .keep them separate)

30 comments:

  1. I was at the grocery store last week perusing the spices when the woman next to me mentioned she had looked all over town and could not find star anise. (I suggested a grocery store that I knew carried more "gourmet" products.)

    I thought you would appreciate my response when she asked if she could use anise seed instead. ((NOOO!))

    I spent some time yesterday (finally) printing out a few recipes from your site I'm hoping to make soon. Thank you. :)

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    Replies
    1. You can pick up star anise at Bulk Barn on St.Annes Road.

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    2. The Bulk Barn on St. Annes Road is in Winnipeg Manitoba. I am sure that it can be found in other cities at the bulk stores as well.

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  2. This recipe reminds me a lot of the recipe for Vietnamese Pho!

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  3. Thank you for the recipie - I've been looking for a "proper" one for this soup - The seniors centre on Clearbrook Rd used to have it every wednesday and Mom would bring some home for my Thursday lunch !!!!
    Looking forward to next Monday when I can make a big pot. Green Bean Soup recipie next ???
    Love Ruby

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  4. Perfect! Sometimes, when I actually cut up chickens, I have taken the pieces that my family does not care for, such as the neck and ribs, maybe some thighs and cooked those for soup, using the rest for other recipes.

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  5. This is the exact soup my mom has always made and the only one that will do when you're not feeling well. We call it Oma's Soup, but the recipe has been passed through the generations, probably by many Omas. Both of my children (now adults) have learned to make the soup from me and are continuing the tradition.

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  6. My Mom always kept the noodles seperate too. thanks for the memory.

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  7. Hi ladies - stumbled across your blog last week and tonight I made Creamy Beef & Spinach Lasagna - it was so good - easy to make and went over wonderfully w/ the family. Thanks so much for posting such easy & healthy recipies, can't wait to try something else from here.

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  8. Dear Lovella,

    Thanks for the reminder of the slow simmering method, I usually do something similar. But, the slow simmering method, over a long period of time when making the chicken and broth, DEFINATELY makes a diffence. I served this soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. Like yourself I do make minor adjustments here and there, but the basic recipe.

    We also had left over french toast and made some of those into the grilled cheesed sandwiches which were surpisingly good.

    Thanks again.

    Kind regards.

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  9. Judi (Giesbrecht) KerrAugust 25, 2010 at 5:05 PM

    This is the best chicken soup recipe! No other chicken soup recipes compare! My Mom always made it when we were sick and my kids also love it and fondly call it Sicky Soup! The best!!

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  10. This recipe has been handed down on my mom's side and I have handed it down to my daughter. Great website!

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  11. Same recipe handed down from my Grandma. She gave each of her grandchildren a pasta machine to make homemade noodles. Nothing beats fresh noodles!

    I take leftover baked chicken and put it, with the bones, into my crock pot to simmer overnight. Tastes even better! Add the spiced in the last hour. Yum... Think I'm going to get that chicken from the freezer now.....

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  12. I was so thrilled to find your blog earlier this week. I'm pregnant and I've started craving all of my mom's old meals. Dhe doesn't use recipes so when I try what she does it doesn't work out for me. I love having all these recipes now. Thanks ladies.

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  13. Where do you find those Mennonite egg noodles in Winnipeg, I know the recipe is in the book, but I know they will turn out better if I buy noodles made by someone else. :)

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    Replies
    1. Renee, That is a good question. I buy Harvest noodles at Sobies which are good, and there is also Noodles called Redde Made. Good for noodle soup, but homemade is always better :)

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  14. Replies
    1. I believe it is an asian seasoning. It is not necessary for the soup. You can add a bit of chicken boullion which does the same thing if you are finding your broth a bit bland.
      Here is a link that will answer your question...
      http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2011/12/maggi-seasoning-sauce-substitutes-gluten-free-msg-free.html

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    2. This is a Mennonite traditional chicken soup. The star anise seed was imported into the Ukraine at some point in my Mennonite ancestry. Never add chicken bouillon. This should never be substituted, otherwise why make a Mennonite traditional soup without the right ingredients.
      My grandmother passed this recipe on and she probably got it from her mother.

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  15. I am a truck driver and like cooking from my mother when we were young.. nothing is better than making noodle yourself..if its home made then its all home made no shortcutts

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  16. I make my own noodles but do not have a pasta machine..I roll them and cut them by hand just like my mama used to do....they are delicious....the recipe looks delicious but isnt that a bit too much cloves?

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    Replies
    1. Grannychick, my mama used to cut her noodles by hand too...and put all those cloves in the soup. I don't find it over powering at all.

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  17. What is star aniseed? I am familiar with star anise...is it the same?
    Do you know roughly how much water? 10 cups? 30 cups?

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    Replies
    1. I know it as Star Anise. Aniseed is a different spice altogether although it has a similar flavour. The flavour of Star Anise is more intense than that of aniseed. In Chicken noodle soup you should use the whole star Anise which looks like a star. If you have trouble finding it, try an asian grocery store as it is popular in Asian cooking.

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  18. I find my Star Aniseed at Chinese or Asian market places......they use it often in a lot of their cooking and its usually pretty cheap. The last time I bought a bad with at least 30 Star Aniseeds in it for about $2.00. I also use cinnamon sticks instead of cloves in my soup. I find that cloves are a bit bitter and cinnamon isn't so bitter and adds a flavor that people always ask what is in this soup to make it so unique. I add 2-3 sticks for my stock.

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  19. My mom always used cinnamon stick in the soup as well as some ginger. That along with the star anise makes a wonderful distince flavor. Like my daughter said with those spices it's bound to heal you when you're sick. No cloves were ever used by my mother.

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  20. We never used clove, but we had an amazing 6 spice combo.
    Cinnamon sticks
    Peppercorn
    Star anise
    Dried ginger
    Bay leaves
    Parsley flakes to finish it up
    We go through about 3 large spice balls filled with the spices equal parts chicken and turkey for more depth. I just made a pot today for my niece as it's her favourite meal. :)

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  21. You can also use pickling spice in a spice bag. Contains the same ingredients. I have always made it this way.

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  22. I also take all the meat off the bones and shed it. Then I fry it in butter, sliced onions, salt and pepper. Fry until crisp. I also boil my noodles separate then everyone just adds the broth to the noodles and some crisp chicken if they like.

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  23. Scoop 'n Weigh on Taylor Ave. in Winnipeg also has star anise seed. Stoneybrook Pantry on PTH 12 N and Main Bread and Butter on Main St., both in Steinbach, also carry this essential seasoning for chicken noodle soup. And now I need to add some to my simmering chicken broth!

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