The 25 Best Soups, In Order

[SheilaT]

184. I was hoping someone would ask!

It's a recipe of mine adapted from a Middle Eastern recipe. It is really, really good. I actually have no idea if there's some other name for this, but I call it Chicken of Muchness for rather complicated reasons that would make no sense to anyone, but is sort of in honor of my friend Don Balya.

Chicken of Muchness

2 chicken leg quarters
3 or 4 carrots
1 or 2 cans of diced or crushed tomatoes, depending on how tomato-y you want it to be.
1 medium onion
1 small green pepper
3 or 4 cups of chicken broth
3 bay leaves
3 cinnammon sticks
½ to ¾ tsp each of celery seed, marjoram, thyme, basil, and tarragon
olive oil
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour

Bring the chicken to a boil with just enough water to cover. Turn heat down to simmer and skim of scum and fat that comes to the surface. This will take ten to fifteen minutes.

Once skimming is done, put the bay leaves, peeled carrots, and cinnamon sticks in pot with chicken, cover and let simmer for an hour.

Remove carrots and chicken. Let them cool while you sauté the sliced onion and green pepper in a little olive oil. You want them to get a little brown. Put in soup pot. Add the tomatoes.

Make a roux with the butter and flour in that same pan, then add a cup or two of broth. Stir and let it thicken over the heat until it seems thick enough. Pour into pot.

Cut up the carrots, strip the chicken from the bones and return to soup pot. Now add the other seasonings. You will probably need to add more chicken broth to have the right amount of liquid.

Cover and simmer for an hour or so.

Make rice, which takes about 20 minutes, when you’re ready to eat. Put rice in a bowl, then add the chicken of muchness. Ground pepper and some salt and enjoy!

This also freezes well. I make a batch and freeze up several individual portions to pull out when I'm in the mood.