my less serious momma: chicken corn soup

As always, from my lovely momma...

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Family reunions always meant a big soup pot of homemade chicken corn soup. Someone stews the chickens, someone else brings fresh corn off the cob, someone chops the celery and onions, etc. You get the point. It’s a family reunion and a family soup. Cooked outside brings out the taste, or maybe it’s the family company.

Living away from the reunions, I adapted the recipe for my little family and still love to have a pot of this soup when we’re all together or to use all week in my lunch box. This year I grilled the corn on the cobs first, adding a new twist and a new touch of flavor. Frozen corn also works but it’s not as magical.

Here’s the basic recipe. Feel free to add your own variations. I wonder how quinoa would work in lieu of noodles.

Chicken Corn Soup (adapted from many York County Farm Women go to the Kitchen and other Pennsylvania Dutch cookbooks and family legend)

1 chicken

 2 large potatoes, cut into chunks

4 hard boiled eggs

4-6 ears of corn, grilled and sliced off the ear

½ finely chopped onion (more if you like it)

3-4 stalks of celery, finely chopped

about 2 handfuls of noodles

Boil chicken for about 1 ½ hours in a big pot of water (large dutch oven size). Cook until the meat is falling off the bone. Strain chicken broth and cut chicken meat into small pieces or shreds. 

Grill corn and slice off the ear.

Combine broth, celery, onion, and chicken. Add potatoes and cook until soft (about 15 minutes). Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Add cooked eggs at the end. Serve with saltines or oyster crackers. Doesn’t freeze well as eggs get rubbery and potatoes get smooshy. But you could freeze the stock and chicken.