-
1
Clean, trim, and singe chicken (see Notes).
-
2
Quarter the chicken if necessary (see Notes).
-
3
Place quartered chicken in a close-fitting 5-quart soup pot.
-
4
A whole chicken should fit into a 6-to-7 quart pot.
-
5
Add 10 cups water if you use broilers or 12 if you use fowl.
-
6
Cover pot and bring to a boil.
-
7
Reduce to a slow simmer and skim foam as it rises to the surface.
-
8
Soup should cook at a smile (see Notes).
-
9
When foam subsides, add all remaining ingredients with only 1 teaspoonful of salt.
-
10
Cook chicken until it is loosening from the bone.
-
11
If chicken is quartered, allow about 1 1/4 hours for cooking broilers and 2 1/2 to 3 hours for a fowl.
-
12
If you cook the chickens whole, allow an extra 15 minutes for broilers and 30 minutes for the fowl.
-
13
Add more water during cooking if chicken is not seven-eighths covered.
-
14
Turn chicken 2 or 3 times during cooking.
-
15
Add salt gradually, tasting as the soup progresses.
-
16
Remove chicken, giblets, and bones and set aside.
-
17
Pour soup through a sieve, rinse pot, and then return soup to pot if it is to be served immediately.
-
18
Skim fat from surface of soup if it is to be served without being stored, following directions for skimming (see Notes).
-
19
Soup can be prepared in advance up to this point.
-
20
If you are going to store the soup, strain it over a bowl but do not skim.
-
21
Cool thoroughly, uncovered, then cover and place in refrigerator.
-
22
Store wrapped chicken separately in the refrigerator.
-
23
Discard (or nibble on) giblets, bones, and soup vegetables.
-
24
Chicken can be reheated in soup, either in quarters with bones and skins for a lusty dish, or trimmed of bones and skin and cut into smaller, easily spooned pieces.
