CHICKEN MACARONI SOUP

I must have cooked chicken soup more than 5 or 6 times this month.  It's just the right comfort food in this cold rainy weather, aside from the fact that I didn't want those leftover roast chicken I have been keeping in the freezer go to waste.  I try to use them at least within a month and if not, I just discard them. 

I make my chicken soup by boiling the leftover roasted chicken (you can also use fresh chicken) which I kept in the freezer.  With that I add chopped onions, chopped celery, and chopped carrots, salt, and freshly ground pepper for about 30 minutes.  I then strain the liquid through a colander separating the chicken with the other veggies in order to get a clean soup base.  I then get the chicken meat attached to the bones and shred them with my fingers and set them aside to put in the soup in the end.  Here's another comfort food that will satisfy your craving on a cold rainy weather.

Ingredients

1/2 chicken or leftover chicken

1 big chunks of yellow onion

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley (for boiling with the chicken leftover)

3 or 4 medium-sized carrots (sliced 1/4 inch)

8 ounces or 1/2 lb elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parley (for garnishing)

Procedure

Bring to a boil the chicken (or leftover chicken with about 8 cups of water with the chopped onion, celery, carrots, salt, and freshly ground pepper and cook in medium heat for about 30 minutes.  Strain the liquid through a colander to another pot to boil again.  Set the chicken pieces aside to cool. Shred the chicken meat with your fingers and set aside to put as the last ingredient on your chicken soup.  Add the carrots, elbow macaroni, and chopped Italian parsley to the boiling soup base and continue cooking until macaroni expands for about 10 minutes.  Mix well and adjust taste if necessary.  Add the shredded chicken. Scoop some to a soup bowl and garnish with the chopped Italian parsley. Serve with crackers.  Serve immediately. 

*Makes 8 to 10 servings

*Tested and tried at Chris' kitchen  03/25/2011