Irish Chicken Farmhouse Soup

Ingredients:

For the stock:

  • 1 (3-4 pound) chicken, giblets removed
  • 3 carrots, peeled and halved
  • 2 celery stalks, halved
  • 1 head garlic, halved horizontally
  • 2 yellow onions, quartered
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2-3 sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon peppercorns
  • 12 cups water

For the soup:

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 large Russett potatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 2 carrots, cut into ½ inch rounds
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2-3 cups shredded chicken
  • 8 cups chicken broth

Directions:

Place 1 whole chicken, giblets removed into a large stockpot.

Add carrots, celery, garlic, onions, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, and peppercorns to the stockpot.

Cover chicken with water, approximately 12 cups. Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 60-90 minutes.

Remove chicken from stockpot. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, shred 2-3 cups of the chicken then discard the rest.

Strain vegetables and herbs from the stock and discard any chicken skin and bones. Reserve 8 cups of broth for the soup. Store remaining broth in the refrigerator or freeze.

In the same stock pot, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery until just softened. Add diced potatoes.

Pour 8 cups of homemade chicken stock into pot. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes before adding 1 cup frozen peas and the shredded chicken. Soup is ready to eat once peas have warmed through.