Stripped down Chicken Soup

I had to make a Whole 30 approved chicken soup without any rice or potatoes. The key to good chicken soup? A WHOLE chicken, preferably one with no antibiotics or free range, slow simmered so all that bone broth goodness comes out. I promise that makes a world of difference.

This is really easy to make, however with little seasoning or salt, it will taste bland.

1. Put chicken in pot. Cover with water plus 3 inches. Bring to a slow simmer, NOT a heavy rolling boil. Simmer whole chicken for about an hour to 1.5 hours.

2. Remove chicken and let cool.

3. Skim off any foam. If it boiled too hard, foam will rise to the top. This pot didn’t have anything to skim off. 

4. Add 2 cups total of chopped celery, onion, carrots (you decide how to divide up the veggies so you have a total of 2 cups). Add 5 garlic cloves, minced. Add 1 bay leaf.

5. Simmer for another 30 minutes. In the meantime, take the chicken off the bone. Save the carcass for bone broth!!!

6. Add chicken to pot, a large handful of chopped parsley, and juice of 1 lemon. Salt liberally because chickens are not naturally salty.

I have had this for lunch 3 days and dinner twice. It is really good on freezing cold (and snowy!) days. Easy to heat, easy to eat.