Ingredients:

1 3 to 4 pound whole chicken (stock)

4 whole carrots (stock)

3 celery stalks (stock)

1 onion, cut in half (stock)

1 head of garlic, top sliced off (stock)

1 to 2 bay leaves (stock)

a handful of fresh herbs, including thyme, sage, parsley (stock)

½ teaspoon kosher salt (stock)

½ teaspoon whole peppercorns (stock)

1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

2/3 cup sliced carrots

½ cup diced celery

1 ½ cups shredded or cubed chicken breast

8 to 12 ounces wide egg noodles

1/2 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

1 to 2 large eggs, per bowl

chopped fresh herbs, for garnish

toasted sesame oil, for drizzling

Directions:

1. Stock. To make the stock, place the whole chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, herbs, salt and pepper in a large stock pot.

2. Cover the ingredients with water – enough to cover them by an inch or so.

3. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cover it, leave the lid very slightly cracked – enough so the stock doesn’t boil over, but not enough that the liquid evaporates. As you’re cooking the stock skin the foam off the top. let simmer for 2 to 3 hours.

4. When it’s finished discard the vegetables and herbs, place the chicken on a large platter to cool and then pull the meat from the chicken. Strain the chicken stock.

5. Soup.To make the soup, heat the same stock pot over medium heat. Add the butter and once it’s melted, add the onions, carrots and celery with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir the chicken into the vegetables. Add the stock back into the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

6. If you like a noodle heavy soup, you can go with a full 12 ounces. If you want a more brothy soup, start with 8 ounces. Add the noodles and within 15 minutes, the soup should be ready to serve. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Taste the soup and season it additionally with salt and pepper if desired.

7. To serve bowls of the egg drop soup: take 1 to 2 eggs (your preference!) and lightly beat them in a small bowl. Ladle the hot soup into bowls (this is the key! You want it to be hot!) and immediately drizzle in the beaten egg in a slow stream. Use your spoon to slowly swirl the soup back and forth. You can garnish the soup with fresh parsley or cilantro, as well as a drop of toasted sesame oil if you wish!

Bon Appetit!