Homemade Chicken Noodle and Vegetable Soup

This soup would chase the worse cold away and warm the coldest heart!




serves around 33

2 hour cooking time












8 beef bouillon cubes
2 1/2 gallons water
fresh ginger root (size of thumb)
1 stick butter
3 1/2 pounds chicken bone in and skin
2 pounds boneless thighs
1 celery plant including leaves (about 2 pounds)
3 pounds fresh carrots
1 large red fresh sweet pepper
1 bulb garlic (at least 8 to 18 cloves)
2 medium onions
3 lbs swiss chard (preferably bright lights variety for color.)
2 tbls fresh tarragon
1 tbls fresh oregano
1/2 cuo fresh basil
2/3 cup fresh parsley
3 lemons sliced for usable garnish

1. On med-high heat in preferably a cast iron pan fry bone in chicken in stick of butter. Keep chicken covered but vented to allow steam to escape by 6 to 8 minutes skin side down flip and 5 to 8 minutes second side. (Don't worry if it is still pink inside.)

2. While meat is cooking start to cut vegtables. Garlic is to be chopped, celery in 1" pieces putting leafy tops aside for later use, carrots in 1/3" circles.

3. Take very large 4 gallon or bigger and pour 2 gallons hot water in and add bouillon.

4. Place cooked bone in chicken in pot leaving butter and chicken drippings in frying pan.

5. Put boneless chicken in frying pan with drippings on med/high heat and 4 minutes each side in covered vented pan to brown exterior and add to chicken soup pot leaving butter and drippings in frying pan.(Don't worry if pink inside.)

6. On med/high heat in dripping frying pan place onions then garlic and then place celery on top
with out stirring for 5 minutes and then cooking for an additional 8 to 14 minutes until almost tender and with slotted spoon leaving drippings in frying pan place cooked veggies into soup pot.

7. Remove frying pan from heat set aside reserving drippings and pan for further use.

8. Throw cut carrots and ginger halves in soup pot.

9. Place soup pot on high heat and bring to boil. Careful not to burn.

10. While soup is starting to heat to boil wash swiss chard thoroughly trimming tips of stems.

11. Cut trimmed stems from leaves and cut stems in 1/2" pieces and add to soup pot to boil and boil at least 30 minutes before adding next ingredients.

12. Cut swiss chard leaves in 3" pieces and chop parsley,tarragon,basil, red pepper(keeping red peppers aside with celery leaf tops) and oregano coarsely and add ingredients to pot.

13.While soup is cooking place frying pan with drippings back on high heat and stir fry, red pepper and celery tops stirring often enough to prevent burning for 8 minutes then add entire contents of pan including drippings to soup pot.

14. Add 1/2 gallon hot water into pot and allow to come back to boil and cook for 18 more additional minutes stirring occasionally so it won't burn.

15. Add 24 to 30 ounces whole grain pasta to boiling soup pot. (I used rotini.)

16. Continue cooking soup for additional 18 minutes (stirring occasionally...careful not to overcook noodles).

17. Reduce heat to medium low and add sauted chopped red peppers and celery tops in soup pot with drippings and simmer about 8 more minutes. (Careful not to overcook noodles.)

18. Serve with fresh lemon slice and a smile.