Chicken soup with homemade noodles and croutons
10 servings
120 minutes
Chicken soup with homemade noodles and croutons is a comforting dish of Russian cuisine, warming with the aromas and flavors of childhood. Its history traces back to the traditions of peasant families where noodles were made by hand and the broth was enriched with the rich flavor of home-raised poultry. The taste of this soup is tender and rich, with deep notes of chicken broth, aromatic spices, and a light noodle texture. Croutons add a pleasant contrast: they crunch while absorbing the broth's aroma, making the dish more filling. This soup is perfect for family lunches and especially good on cold days when one craves comfort and warmth. It can be served with herbs, and its ease of preparation makes it a favorite recipe among many homemakers. Simplicity and richness of flavor are its main features.
1
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a cup of boiling water and add a pinch of salt. Pile flour on the table, make a well in the center and gradually pour in the water with butter while kneading the dough. The dough will likely be too runny with these proportions of flour and water, so add more flour while kneading until it becomes very firm and stops sticking to your hands. This combination of water and butter instead of egg makes for thinner noodles. Once the dough is ready, let it rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Butter: 1 tablespoon
- Boiling water: 0.5 glass
- Wheat flour: 1 glass
- Salt: to taste
2
After the dough rests, it should be rolled out very thinly on a floured surface and cut into noodles with a knife. The width and shape of the noodles can vary — some like them wide, some like them thin, and some prefer square noodles, but in this case, it shouldn't be rolled too thin.
- Wheat flour: 1 glass
3
Buy a good fatty chicken at the market; if there's too much fat, you can trim the excess. Place the chicken in a pot with 3 liters of water. If you follow these proportions, there will be lots of chicken and little water in the pot, resulting in a rich and hearty broth. When the water boils, skim off the foam while reducing the heat and then add 2 bay leaves, an onion, a carrot, salt, and a teaspoon of black peppercorns. Simmer the broth on low heat for 1.5 hours. If fatty spots appear on the surface of the broth, remove them throughout cooking. The broth should not be greasy; it should be hearty.
- Chicken: 1 piece
- Boiling water: 0.5 glass
- Bay leaf: 2 pieces
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 2 pieces
- Salt: to taste
- Black peppercorns: 1 teaspoon
4
Noodles should be added to boiling broth after shaking off all the flour; otherwise, the broth will be cloudy. For this amount of broth, one-third of the prepared noodles is enough; the rest can be saved for the next soup as it stores well. Noodles don't need to be cooked long; just 30 seconds is sufficient.
- Wheat flour: 1 glass
5
When the soup is ready, remove the chicken and shred it. Only white meat should be left for the soup. If the soup is served immediately, place the meat in bowls; if not, return it to the pot. Pour soup into a bowl, add chicken meat, some chopped parsley, and croutons made from regular white bread baked in the oven. Croutons should be added gradually; otherwise, they will become soggy.
- Chicken: 1 piece
- Salt: to taste
- Crackers: to taste