Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

Make sure to reserve the chicken breast pieces until step 2; they should not be browned. If you use a cleaver, you will be able to cut up the chicken parts quickly. A chef’s knife or kitchen shears will also work. Be sure to reserve 2 tablespoons of chicken fat for sautéing the aromatics in step 4; however, if you prefer not to use chicken fat, vegetable oil can be substituted. Make sure to use a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven for this recipe.

1. FOR THE STOCK: Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl and repeat with remaining chicken pieces; transfer to bowl with first batch. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Return chicken pieces to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
2. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, reserved chicken breast pieces, salt, and bay leaves. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have blended, about 20 minutes.
3. Remove breast pieces from pot. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-size pieces; discard skin and bones. Strain stock through fine-mesh strainer into container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard solids. Allow liquid to settle, about 5 minutes, then skim off fat; reserve 2 tablespoons, if desired .
4. FOR THE SOUP: Heat reserved chicken fat in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and reserved stock and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Add noodles and reserved shredded chicken and cook until just tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve. (After skimming broth in step 3, shredded chicken, strained stock, and fat can be refrigerated in separate containers for up to 2 days.)

CLASSIC CHICKEN SOUP WITH ORZO AND SPRING VEGETABLES
Substitute 1 leek, quartered lengthwise, sliced thin crosswise, and washed thoroughly, for onion and 1⁄2 cup orzo for egg noodles. Along with orzo, add 4 ounces trimmed asparagus, cut into 1-inch lengths, and 1⁄4 cup fresh or frozen peas. Substitute 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon for parsley.

CLASSIC CHICKEN SOUP WITH SHELLS, TOMATOES, AND ZUCCHINI
Add 1 zucchini, diced medium, to pot with onions, carrot, and celery in step 4, increasing cooking time to 7 minutes. Add 1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped, to pot along with broth in step 4. Substitute 1 cup small shells or macaroni for egg noodles and simmer until noodles are just tender. Substitute 1⁄4 cup minced fresh basil for parsley and serve with grated Parmesan, if desired.