We, the Jewish people, have some strong feelings about chicken soup. And with good reason — it’s delicious, comforting and been scientifically proven to help when you have a cold. It’s not called Jewish penicillin for nothing!
But, like cooking brisket, there are some essential rules you must follow when making chicken soup.
Forget the Chicken Breasts
Never, ever, ever try to make chicken soup with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You always want to use chicken on the bone for rich, maximum flavor. My preference is to use a whole chicken plus approximately one pound of chicken wings. I know someone people who exclusively use chicken necks, backs and thighs for their higher fat (and flavor). Chef Adam SaNagoueira even suggests using chicken feet!
Don’t Boil or Rush!
Everyone I know, from restaurant-trained chefs to Jewish grandmas, say not to boil the soup. Start with cold water, bring to a simmer and then cook it on a simmer for hours. And hours. Some people say as long as overnight.
Never Leave the Foam
When the soup starts to simmer, you will notice a greyish, film will appear on top. Don’t ignore this — you must skim it to avoid a cloudy soup. What is that icky, foamy stuff on top? It’s actually the proteins that have coagulated. Most people advise to skim, skim, skim, so that your soup will be clear. But according to The Kitchn, it really doesn’t impact the flavour; still, most cooks I know strongly recommend skimming off that foamy top.
Don’t Use a Soup Mix
Forget bouillon, chicken consomme mix or other packets of salty, fake flavor. True chicken soup is flavoured from real ingredients like carrots, celery, turnips, dill and parsley. Some people also like to use a small piece of fresh ginger. My mother-in-law swears by yellow turnip (and her soup is truly amazing). Others suggest leaving the skin on the onion for colour, or adding some sweet potato or even lemongrass. It doesn’t matter which herbs and vegetables you use: Just make sure they grew on a farm, not in a factory.
When All Else Fails, Call Your Mother
If you’re not sure about something, call your mum, mother-in-law, grandma or that crazy lovely Jewish lady who lives up the block — they will know just what to do, or not to do.