How To Make Farmhouse Chicken Soup

Image courtesy: donaldrussell.com

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 pound) broiler-fryer chicken
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup diced carrots
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • SPAETZLE:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs, well beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions

Place the chicken and water in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, salt, pepper, poultry seasoning and red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken from broth; cool. Skim fat from broth. Remove meat from bones; discard bones and skin. Cut meat into bite-size pieces; return broth. Cover and simmer.

For spaetzle, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg in a small bowl. Stir in the eggs, milk and parsley; blend well. With a rubber spatula, push batter through a large-hole grater or colander into simmering soup. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until spaetzle float to the top.