Jack's Chicken Collard Soup

Ingredients:

1 singing chef  

1 chicken

2 celery stalks

1 rough cut onion

bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs

salt and pepper to taste

later add:

bunch of collards

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 onion, chopped

For rich flavor, use fresh thyme, parsley and rosemary bouquets, or any fresh herbs your family enjoys. 

In our home, Jack returns from the herb garden singing Simon and Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” -- “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme”.

The singing is guaranteed to produce a broth even richer in flavor.

Wash one chicken and place in Dutch oven, crock pot or large stock pot with a few celery stalks, rough-cut onion, bouquets of your favorite fresh herbs and seasonings, cover with water and simmer until meat falls off bones.

While chicken is boiling (about 1 hour on stove), cut, peel, dice, chop your favorite vegetables and greens. In this recipe, Jack added collards, carrots, celery and onion to the chicken. If using Swiss Chard or Spinach, we suggest adding the greens about 5 minutes before serving soup. Add white beans if a little more texture is desired.

Skin and debone the chicken, cutting into bite size pieces.

Place back into soup pot, cover with stock from boiling, and add vegetables. If more stock is desired, add store-bought or previously-frozen broth.

Serve with homemade herb bread.

(click here for recipe)

Enjoy! Be sure to freeze your left overs for quick sides and meals on busy days!