Sick-o

ARGH! I woke up sick; I hate being sick. Pounding head, sore throat, runny nose, the works. I dragged myself out of bed, showered, dressed and went into work, very unamused; my coworkers were equally displeased. Working in public relations and a cancer hospital does not lend itself to a winter cold. The public don’t really enjoy relating with someone sneezing and coughing in their ear and cancer patients have dangerously low immune systems that we all decided it was best to send me home early, with pay, of course. So now I’m home, sick, and I haven’t eaten all day, nothing left to do but make chicken soup. This soup is made out of the cheapest, yet tastiest meat, wings and vegetables you always have laying around. Check out my cold busting chicken soup below.

2 lbs whole chicken wings, washed
2 carrots, cleaned and coarsely chopped
3 ribs celery (tops and all), cleaned and coarsely chopped
2 medium onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 green onions, cleaned
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp salt
2 tsp dried black peppercorns
1 dried bay leaf

Heat a large stock pot over medium high heat and add the oil.

Brown, but don’t full cook chicken on both sides for about 5 minutes.

Drain out the remaining oil, add vegetables, herbs, salt, pepper and enough cold water to cover the everything and bring to a boil.

Once the water boils, reduce heat to a slow simmer and allow cooking for 2 to 3 hours.

After 2 to 3 hours, remove soup from the heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth into a clean container, discard vegetables and chicken as they have given up all of their flavor to the soup.

Now you have a pot of cold busting chicken soup to which you can add anything like:
- diced carrots and celery
- pasta
- chicken meat
- tomatoes or other vegetables
- spinach and mini meatballs would make a delicious Italian wedding soup
- soy sauce, diced pork and green onions would make a nice Chinese feeling soup

Did you like this dish? Let me know, leave a comment for me!