Lemon Gingered Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

For the stock:

• 1 (4-pound) free-roam chicken
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 3 medium yellow onions, quartered
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3-4 lemons juiced, juice and rinds for stock
• 2 heads garlic, smashed
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced
• 10 sprigs lemon thyme
• 2 tablespoons sea salt (or table salt)
• enough water to cover the chicken in your stockpot
• handful of ripped up parsley (for the last half hour of cooking)

For the soup:

• 3 carrots, medium diced
• 3 stalks celery, medium diced
• 1 small yellow onion, medium diced
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 pound dry egg noodles, broken up if long

1. Combine all ingredients, except parsley, for the stock in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer until chicken is fully cooked and meat is falling off the bone, about 1 hour. Add parsley after 1/2 an hour.
2. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool; strain the stock, discarding the vegetables. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove skin and shred the chicken into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Discard skin and bones, and reserve meat.
3. Return the stock to the stockpot and add the fresh vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
4. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add egg noodles and simmer until almost completely cooked, about 4 minutes; drain noodles.
5. Add cooked noodles to the soup, and season with salt and lemon pepper or freshly ground pepper.