Fast Chicken Soup Base

SUBMITTED BY: USA WEEKEND columnist Pam Anderson PHOTO BY: Michelle J

"It's from scratch - and fast! With my easy formula, you can make a fresh soup du jour even on a busy weeknight."

SERVINGS & SCALING

Original recipe yield: 3 1/2 quarts

USMETRIC

About scaling and conversions

INGREDIENTS

2 quarts chicken broth
1 quart water
1 store-bought roast chicken
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, cut into medium dice
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into rounds or half rounds, depending on size
2 large stalks celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

READ REVIEWS (25)

DIRECTIONS

Bring broth and water to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large soup kettle. Meanwhile, separate chicken meat from skin and bones; reserve meat. Add skin and bones to the simmering broth. Reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer until bones release their flavor, 20 to 30 minutes.
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. Saute until soft, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add chicken, broth and thyme. Bring to a simmer. (Can be refrigerated up to 3 days in advance. Return to a simmer before adding the extras of your choice.)

This recipe was originally featured in the USA WEEKEND article Soup Up Your Chicken Soup on February 23, 2003.

Find the Perfect Recipe from Pam Anderson .

Pam Anderson is the author of four cookbooks, including her latest, Perfect Recipes for Having People Over .

REVIEWS

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Reviewed on Mar. 24, 2005 by KASBES

Delicious soup base! I add onions, carrots and a few spices when simmering, and simmer it at least twice as long as the recipe recommends. And I don't bother sauteeing the carrots and onions before adding the strained broth back into the pot. (I usually add celery and parsnips as well.) A rotisserie chicken carcass is such a flavorful way to make this broth! I get three meals out of one chicken -- traditional chicken dinner, use some of the chicken in stir fry, and then make the soup. After making this base, I loosely follow the "Classic Chicken and Rice Soup" recipe on allrecipes.

23 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Jan. 18, 2006 by MATHTUTORRITA

The quickest, easiest and best chicken soup base I ever made!

14 users found this review helpful

Reviewed on Dec. 15, 2005 by TUNISIANSWIFE

this is a wonderful classic chicken soup recipe. I didn't have a rotisserie chicken but buy them alot so will use this recipe for those leftovers. I used a whole chicken and skinned it first. I too did not bother to sautee any of the vegetables first...just added them to the pot. I added some egg noodles and that was it! This would be wonderful recipe to follow if one bought one of the flavored rotisserie chickens such as Italian or garlic rotisserie...I can see where boiling the skins and bones of those type of rotisseries would add wonderful new flavors.

14 users found this review helpful

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