How to make chicken soup

This post was originally published as Chicken Soup w/ Homemade Stock by Laurel on Health Food blog.

My buddy Rose is just too fabulous for words, and when she told me she makes some seriously tasty, homemade chicken stock, I knew I had to feature her recipe as a guest blog. Not only does it taste good, it’s healthy and eco-friendly too. Read on and let us know what you think when you try Rose’s recipe for yourself. The following blog is a guest post from Rosalie Petralia and her WeAreSureYouEnjoyIt blog.

Now that winter’s over and everyone’s eating salads and fruit, I find myself making tons of soup. I may not be the most climatically aware person, but I can certainly account for taste, and let’s face it, homemade stock’s where it’s at. Making soup from scratch keeps environmental impacts lower – no cans or boxes to glut up the recycling bin – tastes delicious, and makes the whole house smell great while it’s cooking.

Though I sometimes make chicken soup my mom’s way with bay leaves, carrots, and celery, I am digging the Vietnamese influence of my new version. I like to keep it easy, so you won’t need more than a big pot and a slotted spoon to get going.

Rose’s Pho Chicken Soup:

If you’re just making stock to have on hand for other recipes, you can use other parts of the chicken, like wings, backs, and necks, and strain the whole thing before cooling and freezing (I use my leftover plastic Chinese takeout containers).

2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs with skin and bones
water to fill a pot
2 carrots, unpeeled, cut in big chunks
one big yellow onion, quartered
one 2″ cinnamon stick
4 star anise pods
4 green cardamom pods
1 1/2 tsp salt
black pepper to taste

6 green onions, sliced big
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smooshed and chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup fabulous olive oil
s&p to taste

1 cup orzo or other small pasta

In a big pot over med-hi heat, sauté the chicken in the olive oil for a minute or two to sear the skins. Add the water, leaving space in the pot for some boiling action. Add the rest of the stock ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover, keeping lid ajar to release steam. Let simmer for about 40 minutes, skimming the gunk off the top of the broth from time to time.

While the stock’s cooking, prepare the toppings. Slice up the green onion tops and bottoms into big pieces and set aside. Chop the tomatoes and garlic, and mix in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

When chicken’s cooked and falling apart a bit, scoop it and the veggies out of the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Return the stock to a boil and add the orzo. Cook about 9 minutes and check the seasonings, adding salt if necessary.

Remove the chicken from the bones and add back to the pot. You can discard the spices and eat what’s left of the veggies (you won’t be able to resist – this soup smells divine).

Add the green onions just before serving – they should stay fresh. Ladle into bowls and top with tomato mixture.