Homemade Chicken Orzo Soup

Can you believe I have never made homemade chicken noodle soup? It's true.
I always buy it at the Jewish deli.

Chicken soup has been nicknamed "Jewish Penicillin" because research shows that there really are some healing properties in the soup, and so many Jewish grandmothers make this soup! Mine always did. (see earlier post).
One does not have to be Jewish to make or eat this soup!

Everyone I know seems to have a cold or flu this week. T'is the season. So decided to make some soup and feed the masses.

Usually I would save my homemade stock for butternut squash or minestrone soup, but the husband requested a chicken NOODLE soup. I complied with the request, but added orzo.

So last night after I made my weekly Ina Roast Chicken, I threw the whole carcass in a big pot of water to cover. I threw in the onions from the cooked chicken and the old rosemary & lemon from the roasting pan and all the fat and bones. It looked like one of Rachel Ray's hideous "garbage bowls" (she annoys me, sorry).

I simmered this brew for about 2 hours. Then the strong man lifted the heavy pot and strained out all the stuff for me.

I left it on the counter until it cooled, then covered it w/ Saran wrap till morning.
Now I was ready to skim the fat off the top.

I had some leftover chicken from the roasted bird, and plenty of meat that fell off the bones after simmering. I added fresh sliced carrots, celery and orzo pasta to the stock and threw in the chicken at the last minute!


It was delicious! I served it with Italian crostini w/ chopped chicken livers and frizzled onions on top! A little bit of Jewish penicillin and a little bit of clogged arteries (from the liver!).