Recipe: Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (using lemon thyme)

HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

"Over the years, I've added a bit of this and a touch of that to my chicken soup recipe. But the "secret ingredient"-lemon thyme- is one I learned about from my daughter. This recipe makes a nice generous amount of soup. It freezes well, so you can make it in advance and then heat it up for quick and easy lunches or suppers." - Rita Eipperle, Omaha, Nebraska

1 fryer chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 large onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 quarts cold water (or as needed to just cover chicken)
1 cup dry noodles, cooked and drained
2 tablespoons fresh snipped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon thyme (optional)
Salt to taste
Additional pepper to taste

Wash and drain chicken; place in a large soup kettle with onion, celery, carrots, bouillon and pepper. Add enough cold water to just cover chicken. Simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender.

Remove chicken from broth; discard skin, fat, bones and cartilage. Reserve all meat; cut or shred as you prefer.

Return meat to broth; add parsley, lemon thyme, noodles, salt and pepper to taste. Reheat broth to desired temperature.

Makes 3 quarts
Source: The Country Cooking Recipe Collection: Prize-Winning Chicken