Old Fashioned Chicken Soup (Made Easy)

My recipe for chicken soup.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• BROTH

• 2  quarts  organic chicken broth

• CHICKEN

• 2 -3  cups  skinless boneless chunked rotisserie chicken

• VEGETABLES AND HERBS

• 1  large  chopped onion
• 2  cups  sliced celery
• 1 1⁄2 cups  whole  baby carrots
• 1  tablespoon  snipped fresh parsley
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1  large  mashed garlic clove

• SEASONINGS

• 1⁄4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2  pinches ground nutmeg
• 2  pinches  ground savory
• 5  black peppercorns (or 1/4 teaspoon ground)
• 1  bay leaf
•  kosher salt, to taste

• OPTIONAL VEGETABLE

• 4  ounces  sliced fresh mushrooms

• OPTIONAL NOODLES

• 6  ounces  egg noodles

Directions

1. POUR 64 ounces Trader Joe's Organic Free-Range chicken broth into a 4-quart pot; heat to a low gentle boil.
2. SNIP 1 tablespoon fresh parsley into broth.
3. PULL fresh thyme leaves from stem using thumb and forefinger against the growth direction, to yield about 1 1/2 teaspoons; add to broth.
4. ADD 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning to broth, along with two pinches (1/8 teaspoon) ground nutmeg, 2 pinches (1/8 teaspoon) ground savory, 1 bay leaf, and 5 whole black peppercorns (or 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper).
5. CHOP 1 large onion into 1/2'' pieces and add to broth; MASH 1 large clove garlic with a garlic press; add to broth.
6. MEASURE 1 1/2 cups whole baby carrots; add to broth.
7. SLICE rinsed celery into 3/4'' diagonal-cut slices to make 2 cups; add to broth (if fresh mushrooms are desired they may be sliced and added to broth now).
8. COVER and simmer broth, vegetables, herbs and seasonings until vegetables are tender yet firm (6 ounces egg noodles may be added now if desired).
9. REMOVE skin from rotisserie chicken and meat from bones; coarsely chunk or dice chicken meat into bite-sized pieces to yield 2-3 cups; STIR in chunked chicken until heated; REMOVE bay leaf and peppercorns; SEASON to taste with kosher salt if desired.
10. SERVE soup hot in bowls; SAVOR the old-fashioned goodness!