Family style dinners: Chicken soup

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - It seems there is never enough time to cook a delicious meal for your family, between work, helping kids with their homework and household chores. But in our family style dinners series you will never have to stress about what is on the table for dinner.

Bill Collins is a personal chef and he showed us how to make an easy and delicious chicken soup!

Chicken Soup

Ingredients:
Makes 6-8 servings

• 4 cups chicken stock or broth
• 4 cups water
• 8-10 (approx) bone-in (skin-off) chicken thighs or 2-3 bone-in (skin-off) chicken breast halves
• 4 carrots, peeled and diced small
• 5 stalks celery, diced small
• 3 onions, peeled and diced
• 6 oz (approx) frozen peas (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large soup pot, add the chicken and cold water and cold (or room temp) stock.  Bring to a boil, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 25-35 minutes.  When the chicken is cooked, removed from pan, and cool to room temperature. While it’s cooking, with a spoon, skim the brown-ish foam from the surface of the liquid.
2. While the chicken is cooking, peel and cut the vegetables (except the peas).  Add them to the pot when the chicken is removed.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked to your liking.
3. While the vegetables are cooking, cut or shred the chicken.
4. When the vegetables are cooked, put the chicken back in the pan, with the peas, and bring back to a simmer.  Adjust the flavor with salt and pepper to taste.

Tips:
If you can, cool the soup overnight in the fridge, and skim any fat off the top the next day.