Classic Homemade Chicken Soup

This is an old fashioned chicken soup the way my grandmother made it. She passed it down to my mother and then to me. Since this is a handed down recipe, the measurements aren't exact, and it's more about using your "eye" and "judgment".

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 (2 -4 lb)  roasting chickens, cut into pieces. you can also buy chicken pieces already cut
• 2  stalks celery, cut up
• 2  turnips, halved (you can leave these whole if they are small)
• 2  parsnips, cut up
• 2  carrots, cut up
• 1⁄2 bunch fresh dill (or more to taste)
• 1⁄2 bunch fresh parsley
• 2  onions, halved
• 3 -4  garlic cloves (or more to taste)
•  water, to cover
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Cut up your chicken into pieces (thighs, legs, breasts, etc) and place in a large stock pot.
2. Fill with cold water to cover and put on high heat as you assemble the rest of the ingredients.
3. Cut up all of your veggies. You can do this any way you like, but I like to leave these in large pieces so they don't get too mushy during the long cooking time.
4. You can tie your dill and parsley together if you like.
5. Put all the veggies and herbs into the pot.
6. Add extra water if needed.
7. Bring to a boil, and then let simmer.
8. Simmer for 2-4 hours*.
9. *The cook time is largely up to you. I like to cook mine for many hours to get all of the flavors out of the chicken, but really, once the chicken is cooked through, you can take it off the fire.
10. If you prefer to have smaller pieces of carrots, potatoes, or celery in your soup, dice as much as you want and put it into the pot 30-40 minutes before it's done.
11. ***TIP: There will be A LOT of fat on the top of this soup from the chicken skin. Traditionally, you would cook this the day before, refrigerate over night, and then remove the hardened fat layer. Easy as pie. But, if you want it the same day, you will have to skim the fat as the cooking progresses. So watch the soup over the 2-4 hours of cooking and skim as you go.
12. Add salt and pepper to taste. (you will need a lot of salt. Don't fret. Start off with a teaspoon. Taste. Add another pinch. Taste. Add. And so on until you reach desired flavor.
13. Take all the chicken out of the pot and remove the meat from the bones and skin. Discard the bones and skin. You can replace the meat into the pot or leave it on the side for people to put into their individual bowls.
14. Make egg noodles, rice, or dumplings to accompany.
15. Eat and enjoy.