Arcadian Chicken
Noodle Soup

FOR 4-6 PEOPLE
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM
PREP TIME: 80 MINUTES

Chicken Noodle Soup

  Ingredients:

  • 1 kg ripe tomatoes
  • 1 chicken, about 11/2 kg, quartered
  • salt and pepper
  • flour for dusting
  • 5-6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp honey
  • 1 onion, peeled
  • 1 carrot, cut in 2
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced
  • a few sprigs fresh oregano
  • a few sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 allspice berries
  • 500 g hylopites, Greek noodles, or fettuccine
  • grated myzithra cheese, or pecorino
Arcadian Chicken Noodle Soup

Preparation:

  1. Peel and seed the tomatoes and chop them finely.
  2. Remove any fat from the chicken. Dust the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and flour.
  3. Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces on all sides. When nicely browned, remove and set aside.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and honey to the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes over medium heat. Add the whole onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaf, herbs, and allspice, plus more salt and pepper if desired. Cover and boil for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the chicken, pour in enough water to cover, and turn up the heat. When it starts to boil, lower the heat and simmer for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender and coming off the bone.
  6. With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables and the chicken from the pot and set aside in a warm spot. Strain the broth. When the chicken is cool enough, remove the meat from the bones and set aside.
  7. Pour the broth back in the pot and bring back to the boil. Add the noodles at once and cook according to package directions. Add a little extra water, if necessary.
  8. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot and serve in soup bowls, sprinkled with grated cheese, if desired.