Curtis Stone’s Homemade-Chicken-Soup-Makes-Me-Feel-Better Soup

Homemade Chicken Soup Makes Me Feel Better 

(Makes 8 servings)

• 1 4-pound whole chicken, rinsed and excess fat trimmed
• 8 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 fresh thyme sprig
• Zest (removed with a vegetable peeler) and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 medium onion, cut into large dice (about 1 ½ cups)
• 2 carrots, cut into large dice (about 1 ½ cups)
• 1 small kohlrabi, peeled and cut into large dice (about 1 cup)
• 1 small celery root, peeled and cut into large dice (about 2 cups)
• 1 white turnip, peeled and cut into large dice (about 2 cups)
• ¾ cup uncooked long-grain brown rice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 

1. Using a large sharp knife, cut the chicken into 8 pieces (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 2 breasts). Reserve the carcass.
2. Place chicken and carcass in heavy 8-quart pot. Add water, bay leaf, thyme, and lemon zest and bring water to simmer over medium-high heat, skimming off foam that rises to surface. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer gently for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked through.
3. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces to large bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle. Set broth aside.
4. Remove chicken meat from bones and discard skin, bones, and cartilage. Coarsely shred meat into bite-sized pieces.
5. Remove herbs, lemon zest, and chicken carcass from broth and discard. Add onion, carrots, kohlrabi, celery root, turnip, and rice to broth and simmer for about 22 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and rice is tender.
6. Add cooked chicken and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Ladle into bowls and serve.

 

Make-Ahead: The soup can be made up to three days ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Rewarm, covered, over medium heat, adding more broth if necessary.

Nutrition facts

Per serving

Calories: 241

Total Fat:  5 g

Saturated Fat: 1 g

Sodium: 428 mg

Carbohydrate: 22 g

Fiber: 3 g

Protein: 26 g

Diabetic Exchanges: ⅓ Starch, ½ Vegetable, 3 Lean meat

 

If you’re looking for more savory soup recipes for a cold day, Curtis Stone’s Creamy Celery Root Soup and Weeknight Navy Bean and Ham Soup, from our January/February 2017 issue, are sure to warm you up.