Old Fashioned Chicken Soup

My Gram used to make the best chicken soup. I always loved it when the big pot came out and Gram rolled a batch of homemade noodles. I knew that meant we were having chicken soup. It is the ultimate comfort food.

Gram roasted a whole chicken and made the traditional roast chicken dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, etc. The next day she boiled the chicken leftovers -- every scrap including bones and skin -- to make her broth. Of course she removed the bones -- mostly -- before serving. I make my broth a tad-bit healthier, but it lacks the richness of Gram's broth.

6 chicken legs, skinned
1 16 oz can of low sodium chicken broth
2 16 oz cans of water
2 bay leaves*
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons parsley
salt & pepper to taste
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup green onion stalks (for color)
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, thin sliced

Put everything into the crock pot. Set the pot on low or slow, depending on your dial. Go to work. Leave home for the day. At the very least, completely ignore the pot.**

After 6 or so hours turn the pot to the fast or high setting. Remove the chicken legs from the pot. Allow them to cool and de-bone them. Shred the meat and return it to the pot. The bones may be discarded.

Roll out a batch of Easy Homemade Egg Noodles. They require little to no drying time, so within an hour you should be adding noodles to the crock pot. Add noodles slowly so they do not stick together. Stir the pot often as you add the noodles. When all the noodles have been added, replace the lid and simmer for at least 1/2 hour.

Ladle the soup into large bowls. Hand the bowls to hungry people. Watch the soup disappear. Expect to be asked for seconds.

Notes:

*remove bay leaves before serving

**I like to make the broth one day, de-bone the chicken, chill the broth, then reheat it in a regular soup pan the second day and cook in the noodles. Soup always has a better flavor on day two.