The experts at America’s Test Kitchen borrowed an idea from Edna Lewis for a full-flavored chicken soup recipe that can be made in less than 90 minutes. Rather than simmering chicken bones, aromatic vegetables and herbs for hours, this recipe starts with sautéing a chicken, minus the breast, hacked into small pieces; the breast is used later as meat for the soup. The chicken and onion get cooked over low heat in a covered pot until they release their rich, flavorful juices, 15 to 20 minutes. Only then does water get added, and the broth needs to simmer just 20 minutes longer.
The most difficult step in this quick chicken soup recipe? Cutting the chicken into small pieces. A meat cleaver, a heavy-duty chef’s knife or a pair of heavy-duty kitchen shears will make the task fairly simple.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds), breast removed and split, remaining chicken cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 medium onions, cut into medium dice
- 2 quarts boiling water
- Table salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 medium rib celery, sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into medium dice
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ cup canned chopped tomatoes or equal amount of chopped fresh tomatoes
- 1 cup pasta shells (small), or elbow macaroni
- ¼ cup minced fresh basil leaves
- Ground black pepper
- Grated Parmesan cheese, passed separately (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in large soup kettle. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside. Add half of chopped onions to kettle; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add half of chicken pieces; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with onions. Sauté remaining chicken pieces. Return onions and chicken pieces (excluding breasts) to kettle. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes. Increase heat to high; add boiling water along with both breast halves, 2 teaspoons salt and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken breasts from kettle; set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth; discard bones. Skim fat from broth, reserving 2 tablespoons. (Broth and meat can be covered and refrigerated up to 2 days.)
- Return soup kettle to medium-high heat. Add reserved chicken fat. Add remaining onions, along with carrot, celery and zucchini; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, along with broth, tomatoes and chicken; simmer until vegetables are tender and flavors meld, 10 to 15 minutes. Add shells and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings, stir in basil and, if you like, serve with parmesan cheese on the side.
Top image by Jess Lessard Photography from Getty Images, via Canva.com
