Categories: Soup
Ingredients
- 4-5 lb. chicken
- 2 quarts store-bought chicken stock or chicken broth
- 2 quarts water
- 2 medium onions, quartered
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 5 or 6 fresh parsley stems
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Directions
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Rinse the chicken well under cool running water and remove the neck, gizzard, heat and liver from the cavity, if present. Place the chicken in a large stockpot or Dutch oven along with any parts, and cover with the stock and water. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour; at that point, the chicken should easily pull away from the bones.
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Using tongs, remove the chicken from the stock and set aside until cool enough to handle. Strain the cooking liquid through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth, discarding the veggies. Pull the chicken meat off the bones, discarding the bones, skin and any fat. Shred and reserve the meat, and refrigerate until needed. Cool the stock, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.