Chicken Soup With Rice or Noodles

I adapted this from a WW cookbook for my parents who always get chicken with rice soup. It is best when made totally from scratch and the chicken is cooked in a crock-pot but can be made using a store roasted chicken. I have also used red leaf lettuce and spinach in place of the escarole.

• Ready In: 4 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 (3 -4 lb)  chicken
• 1 (48 ounce) can chicken broth (I use Swanson's low fat)
• 1  stalk celery
• 1  carrot
• 1  pinch saffron
• 1  pinch sage
• 1  pinch thyme
• 1  bay leaf
• 2  teaspoons kosher salt
• 2  teaspoons olive oil
• 1  medium onion, chopped
• 2 -3  carrots, coarsely grated
• 2  stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 2⁄3 cup short-grain rice or 2  cups  Reames frozen noodles
• 1  head escarole, washed and coarsely chopped
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Remove excess fat and giblets from the chicken and discard.
2. In a 5-qt. crock-pot combine the chicken broth, chicken, celery, carrot, saffron, sage, thyme, bay leaf and kosher salt.
3. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the chicken falls off the bone. Remove the chicken and cool; debone and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4. Strain the broth through a sieve lined with 2 paper towels, this removes the sediment and some of the fat. This can be done a day ahead and more fat can be removed from the top of the chilled broth.
5. In a large sauce pan heat the oil over medium-high heat, saute the onion, carrots and celery until the onion is transulent.
6. Add the strained broth and bring to a boil.
7. Add the rice or noodles and simmer covered for 15 minutes.
8. Stir in the chicken, cover; simmer until the rice/noodles are tender and the chicken is heated through.
9. Remove from heat and add the escarole; cover and set aside until the escarole wilts, about 2 minutes.
10. Add salt and pepper to taste.