Soup is, in my opinion, the most comforting of meals. So now that the weather has turned cool, and we have little to do but wait for Peanut to arrive, I can think of nothing but big bowls of steamy, savory soups.
My mother and grandmother and aunt make fantastic chicken corn soups. If they lived closer, I would request a big pot to help us count down the days — and I know they would happily oblige. But since they don’t live nearby — and because every true Pennsylvania mother should have this recipe in her repertoire anyway — I figured it was time make a pot of my own.
While I know my grandma would recommend that I boil a whole chicken and make my own stock, I took a shortcut and used a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. I did, however, use local sweet corn, which I think makes a noticeable difference. Combined with onions, carrots, celery, potatoes, and egg noodles, this soup definitely says “home” to me.
What dish says “home” to you?
Chicken Corn Soup
- 1 whole rotisserie chicken (or 1 whole chicken boiled with 3 quarts water, onions, carrots, celery, thyme, salt, and pepper), skin removed and shredded
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 10 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp thyme
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lb baby Dutch yellow potatoes, quartered
- 6 ears sweet corn, kernels removed
- 1/2 lb egg noodles
In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, saute onions, carrots, and celery with a bit of olive oil over medium heat, about 6 minutes. Add chicken stock, thyme, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil. Add potatoes and corn, reduce to simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Add shredded chicken and egg noodles; cook for 15 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.
I cannot wait to make stews and soups…I just need my stove back! Home to me is my mom’s Nine Bean Soup made with a really meaty hambone and cornbread in a cast iron skillet!
Dish that says home is chicken pot pie! But chicken soup is a close second here. And shhh, I also shortcut to the rotisserie chicken too…
xo
Cathy…who will be frequently checking to read news of the big arrival!
This says home to me as well. I grew up in York, and this was a staple of PA Dutch food. I am something of a student of Amish cooking (real Amish cooking, not that stuff on the Food Network – PA Dutch chicken pot pie does NOT involve a crust!). I watched my mom make it, and picked up a few tips from her. Also, would get it in restaurants, and at church fundraisers (chicken corn soup suppers are as old-school York/Lancaster County as you can get).
This recipe is a bit different – never seen it before with carrots but I am going to try it next time I make it. That sounds like a great addition. Also, the noodles another shortcut, substituting for rivels?
Two things I find interesting about it – one of the few soups that includes hard boiled eggs, which is a bit unusual. I don’t know of many other soup recipes that call for hard boiled eggs. And second, it’s by tradition considered a summer soup, as odd as that sounds.
Finally, I recommend it as baby food. My mom fed it to me when I was eating baby food. Just put it in a blender. Every baby I have seen eat it can’t get enough!