Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

My sister, Angie, was my inspiration to start cooking.  She is an amazing cook and really knows how to put things together.  Once in a while she'll contribute to my food blog when, in actuality, she should have her own!  But, I'm grateful to share some of her tried and true recipe adventures when she offers them.

This one was very timely as I have a friend who is asking for some good fall soup recipes.  I'm going to share this one with her along with the Taco Soup posted not too long ago.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients
1 (3 pound) whole chicken
4 carrots, halved
4 stalks celery, halved
1 large onion, halved
water to cover all above in large stock pot
salt and pepper to taste
chicken bouillon granules (to taste)

Directions
1. Place the chicken, carrots, celery and onion in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Heat and simmer, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off the bones (skim off foam every so often).  I think it took about four or five hours for simmering until the meat started falling off the bone.

2. Take everything out of the pot. Strain the broth (I used a very fine large strainer, not a collander, this helps the broth to be cleaner). Pick the meat off the bones (careful it will be hot) and chop the carrots, celery and onion.  Season the broth with salt, pepper and bouillon to taste. I think I used about five tablespoons of bouillon but everyone will be different. Return the chicken, carrots, celery and onion to the pot, stir together, heat for a while longer and serve.

3. Boil egg noodles on the side and add to the soup.

Note from Angie: This soup turned out so good and I had a ton left over but my roommates ate it up in two days. They were even eating it for breakfast!