Grammy's Rotisserie Chicken Soup

Not my grandmother's chicken soup...



Chicken Soup with Rice

The quickest, easiest, and one of the best chicken soups I've ever made.  It's become my official "go to" soup for a chilly autumn or winter day.  Chicken soup is also known for curing the common cold - good for body and soul! 

This delicious base can be used for all kinds of chicken soups.  I love to add tortellini, spinach, or zucchini.  Try rice or D'Italini in place of noodles.  Add some of your own favorite spices to it too...yes, make it your own!     

Before I give you the recipe, I have to refer to the heading and tell you about my grandmother's soup...this would be my paternal grandmother, whom I was named after.  Cutest  little Italian lady, spoke broken English and made a wonderful chicken soup...using really fresh chicken.  

Here's how it would go...

 





Grandma & Grandpa Mercurio

"First, send one of the grandchildren or Grandpa to Bravo's meat-market up the street.  They are to get one soup chicken.  Mr. Bravo would nod, and disappear to the back of the store.  Shortly, thereafter, you could hear squawking, loud squawking!  Uh, yup, you've got the picture.  Well, she said a fresh chicken!  Then, suddenly, Mr. Bravo was back with "the package."  Now, you know what was wrapped in that brown butcher paper, tied up with a string, don't you?  It sure wasn't "one of my favorite things" to borrow a line from "The Sound of Music",  especially when we could see the feet sticking out. 

After trudging back to  Grandma's, she would take the chicken and soak it in salt water.  Then, she proceeded to pluck the remaining feathers.  It's here that the stubborn ones got special treatment--the lit match.  This produced an odor you never want to experience!  It's also the point where all the kids scattered.

Into a large pot of salted water it went, every bit of it, from beak to feet.  Simmering for at least 2 hours until the meat fell from the bone.

 

Then, the meat was removed and left to cool, as was the broth.

 

After cooling, the fat is skimmed off the top.  Now, the cut carrots, diced celery, chopped onion were added---as much as she wanted.  Don't ask for amounts, I don't think she even owned a measuring cup!  Season with additional salt and pepper and perhaps some parsley.

 

Remove the chicken from the bones and add to the soup once the vegetables are cooked.  Just before serving, cook some pasta (Acine de Pepe or D'italini) and add to the bowls being served.  Don't forget the delicious Italian grated cheese--Romano, Parmesan or a mix.  Hmmmm, Hmmmm---delicious!"

Back to a more user-friendly recipe. 

My mom used to make great chicken soup with little chicken meatballs (really, she did) to add to her chicken soup.  Wow, just thought of those, and now I definitely will have to make them for mine.   If you've been checking out my recipes and stories, you've probably figured out by now how much I loved my mom's cooking.  My dad used to say she could whip up a 4 course dinner in 30 minutes, and it was always delicious. 



Mom and Dad

A long time after my mom passed away, my dad came to live with us,  and I would try to make chicken soup like my mom's,  I never did succeed.  Dad would eat it, but never say a word. 

Then one day,  I started using the rotisserie chicken.  That first time my dad tried it, he looked up at me and said, "Well, you finally made a good chicken soup!"   I smiled, but didn't have the courage to ask if it was as good as mom's.  

I already knew the answer!   Haha!




Ingredients:

1 rotisserie chicken (separate meat from bones & skin-use bones & skin to flavor broth)
2 quarts chicken broth (I use low sodium)
1 quart water
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Parsley, basil, thyme...just a pinch of each (opt.)
1 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, peeled, cut in rounds & halved
2 large stalks celery, sliced 1/4" thick
1/8 to 1/4 c. tomato sauce (adds color & flavor)
Salt & pepper to taste

Bring the broth to a simmer in the large stock pot. While you wait for the broth and water to heat up, separate the rotisserie chicken meat from the skin and bones, setting the meat aside for later. Add the skin (optional) and bones to the broth, bring it back up to a simmer and allow it to simmer for about an hour.

Strain broth through a colander into a large container; reserve broth and discard skin and bones.  Return kettle to burner set on medium-high.

Add oil, then onions, carrots and celery and seasonings.  Sauté until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken, broth and sauce. Bring to a simmer. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Return to a simmer before adding the extras of your choice.)  If you refrigerate it, any grease will congeal on the top and you can remove it.  But, leave a little...adds flavor!

Add the broth and bring the mixture back up to a simmer.

Add your favorite noodles, simmering until they reach the desired tenderness.

Chop the chicken and add it to the cooking noodles.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Now, just sit back and enjoy! 

"A child is not a product, but a precious gift from God."