Chicken Noodle Soup

1. Stage

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a 6-quart stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in batches, cooking until dark golden brown, three to four minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot. When all the chicken is browned, discard all but 2 tablespoons drippings.

2. Stage

Add the onion to the remaining drippings. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until tender, four to five minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute longer.

3. Stage

Add the broth to the pot. As you bring the broth to a boil, stir to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.

4. Stage

Return the chicken to the pot. Add the celery, carrots, bay leaves and thyme. Reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, until chicken is tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside.

5. Stage

Remove the soup from the heat, and add the noodles. Let stand, covered, until the noodles are tender, 20 to 22 minutes. Editor’s Tip: Prepare the noodles separately if you’re making chicken noodle soup ahead of time, or if there’s a chance you’ll end up with leftovers. The noodles will absorb liquid as they sit in the soup, so they'll lose their chewy texture and become mushy over time.

6. Stage

Meanwhile, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.

7. Stage

When the noodles are tender, return the shredded meat to the stockpot. Discard the bay leaves, and stir in the parsley and lemon juice. If desired, adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Editor’s Tip: The chicken bones still have a lot of life to give! Save them, and them in your next batch of homemade chicken stock.