Chicken Noodle Soup (Prairie / Mennonite Style)

• For the Chicken Broth
• 1 whole heritage chicken, about 3-4 lbs
• 3-3.5 L cold water
• 1½ tsp salt, plus more to taste
• Vegetables
• ½ large onion OR 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• Noodles
• 200-250 g Mennonite egg noodles, about 3 cups loosely packed
• Optional Finishing
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley, to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground white or black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. 1

   Make the Broth

   Place the heritage chicken in a large pot and cover with 3–3.5 L cold water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. As soon as it boils, skim off any foam and reduce heat to a very gentle simmer. Simmer 1½–2 hours, until the chicken is fully cooked and the broth is rich. Keep the broth barely moving — this keeps it clear.

2. 2

   Remove and Prepare Chicken

   Remove the chicken to a plate and allow it to cool slightly. Strain the broth into a large bowl or alternate container. Pull the meat from the chicken and chop or shred into bite-size pieces. Discard skin and bones.

3. 3

   Cook the Vegetables

   Dry the soup pot with a paper towel or clean cloth and then add in 1 tbsp butter or oil. In the same soup pot, sauté the onion, celery, and carrot medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until slightly softened but not browned. Pour the hot chicken broth back into the pot. Simmer 10–15 minutes to cook the vegetables. Add the chopped chicken meat back to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. 4

   Cook Noodles Separately

   Bring a separate pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add 200–250 g Mennonite egg noodles. Cook 6–8 minutes, or until tender but still slightly firm. Drain. Cooking the noodles separately the main soup prevents the broth from becoming starchy, and keeps leftovers from turning mushy.

5. 5

   Serve

   Place a portion of noodles into each serving bowl. Ladle the hot chicken soup over the noodles. Garnish with pepper or parsley if desired.