I realize that most of my posts are about soup. Today is no exception! Soup is one of my favorite things. It's comforting and brings back so many memories of cooking with my mom and dad. Chicken corn soup is one of the big ones and my all-time favorite. I remember my mom and aunts sitting at Gramma's kitchen table picking the meat from the bones. I remember my Aunt Mary picking the chicken neck. Aunt Sue eats the organs, blech! (I toss the neck, but only after I cook it for broth and the organs go straight in the trash!) I believe my mom went into labor with me on the way to Gramma's for chicken corn soup!
For many years, mom and dad, my sister and her family, and Jason and I would
visit Ocean City. On the first day of our trip, we would make a
big pot of chicken corn soup for the family to eat during the week. Every year at the Hengst family reunion, Aunt Betty and her family make
chicken corn soup for our whole family to share. There are as many as
200 Hengsts in attendance. I've heard that they put butter in theirs, but it may be an urban legend. I've tried it and it doesn't taste like Aunt Betty's! Speaking of the Hengst reunion, Linda says that Uncle June's turtle soup recipe is made the same as chicken corn, just with ground turtle and cloves. From Linda Sleeger-Williams:
"He made it like chicken corn soup, except the meat was ground turtle meat, and then the cloves. That's what made it grey in color. So, cook turtle, diced potatoes, corn, (he always liked shoe peg), hard boiled eggs, salt, pepper, and cloves. I think what made it the best was the butcher kettle he cooked it in. Maybe once he put some carrots in it."
It's funny how a food can be such an important part of your life, but somehow it is. Chicken corn soup is special to me. It's comforting, in more ways than one. I learned the make this soup the way my family always did. Over the years, I've made it my own. My aunts and mom add a can of creamed corn. You could, but I don't. Probably because I never remember to buy it! I add extra hard boiled eggs. The yolks break down and my broth gets creamy. Do not add the eggs if you intend to freeze it, they'll get rubbery! I set aside a big bowl to freeze before I add my eggs.
Today's version was especially good so I thought I'd update my recipe and share! Frozen or fresh corn is a must. I cannot stand canned corn! I used 5 ears of fresh corn and 1 bag each of white and yellow frozen corn. I cut the corn off the cob and then scraped the cob to get the extra juices. Then I tossed the empty cobs right into the soup to get every last bit of flavor. Around here, we have Cope's corn. It's almost as good as corn on the cob! I also add kluski noodles instead of regular egg noodles. They don't break down the way regular egg noodles do!
4-5 Chicken Leg Quarters or Bone-in
Breasts (or a whole chicken)
3 Bags Frozen White or Yellow Sweet
Corn
4 Large Diced Potatoes
6 Eggs Hard Boiled Chopped
(optional—doesn’t freeze well)
½ Bag Kluski Noodles
2 Cartons Swanson Unsalted Chicken
Stock
Chicken Bouillon or Chicken Base
2 Cups Chopped Fresh Parsley or ½ Cup
Dried Parsley
Salt and Pepper or Seasoned Salt
Water
Cover chicken in water. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper or Seasoned Salt (or Mrs.
Dash Table Blend for less salt) and boil for at least 1 hour or until tender
and juices are clear when stuck with a fork (or in a Crock Pot on low for at
least 6 hours). Remove meat from the
bone and tear into bite-size pieces.
Strain the broth for bones.
Return the meat to the broth. Add
the corn, potatoes and eggs. Add chicken stock (more or less to as needed for taste and liquid).
Add chopped fresh parsley or dried parsley. Simmer for 15 minutes. Bring to a boil. Add the noodles, breaking them into smaller
pieces. Cook according to package
instructions or until tender.
Taste the broth and add chicken base or salt as needed, or stock and water if needed.
