Mom's Homemade Chicken Soup

Ahh yes.  Chicken soup.  It warms you on a cold Winter's day and it also soothes the soul when you're under the weather. Remember the book series about life called, "Chicken Soup for the Soul?"  I honestly always thought it was a book about different chicken soups. I wouldn't lie to you.  No, I didn't read them. I rarely read when I was sixteen.  Sad maybe, but it just was not an interest of mine back then. They seemed very popular when I was around sixteen years old.  What happened to them?  Anyway, I like the sound of that title. It completely encompasses the purpose of chicken soup; soothes the soul.  It's so comforting.  That's where I get to my Mom's delicious homemade chicken soup.  The carrots are perfect. The celery adds great flavor to the soup and is just soft enough for me to eat, since, well, celery to me seems like you would be eating air. But inside this soup?  It works. It's wonderful.

The shredded chicken is stellar.  It's just 1 whole chicken cut in half.  Simple yet incredible. I indulged in two generous bowls on my sick day that I took yesterday.  I found out from the doctor that I just have a cold/virus.  It's not a bacteria infection. I hope not. I went back to work today and pretty much felt 70% better all day so hopefully it doesn't linger around much longer.  {Please leave me NOW!!} I will say that being sick of course sucks, but you do get to catch up on your favorite movies or T.V.  shows which is always great!  For me, it was Friends...I have all 10 Seasons on DVD.  I went all the way back to 1994.  Pretty decent day I must say.    :-) The best part of my sick day?  My mom physically came to my house and brought me a huge Tupperware of this amazing soup. Love you mom!!  Is that sweet or what??  There's a tiny bit left of it.  I will need to make some soon.  Just for the cold winter still a head....not for more sickness in this house!

I hope you don't get sick at all this year, but if you do, even if it's in the middle of August, just try this soup.  It heals!!!  Please spare yourself and do not purchase Campbell's chicken noodle.  I beg you. {all that extra unnecessary sodium, too}.


Ignore the chap stick and remote controls...I was sick.


Mom's Homemade Chicken Soup

 Ingredients

• 1 Whole chicken cut in half or 4 chicken breasts, with skin and bones.
• 5 Carrots
• 4 Pieces of Celery
• Whole Onion
• Fresh Parsley
• Salt
• Chicken Bullion

Directions
Fill water in large pot half way. Add salt in once water begins to boil. Wash chicken and place in pot.  Add carrots, celery and onion and fresh parsley.  Cook with the lid tilted for venting.  Cook for an hour on medium-high.  After soup cools down, take out all vegetables and chicken and place in a bowl. Use a strainer or colander and place into a large plastic container.  Put back the carrots, cut in smaller chunks , and same with celery. Throw away the onion. Take chicken and pull apart  and place in a separate bowl. Use a few medium size containers to store the soup. 

You can totally freeze this soup for another time. If you'd like, add some orzo, or bow tie noodles in the soup.  Here's to your health! :)