I love homemade chicken soup.  I could probably make it every week and still want more.  I always buy an entire rotisserie chicken from the supermarket and pull the entire thing apart for the soup, so there’s a mix of dark and white meat.  For years I would simply throw away the leftover bones immediately afterward, until I realized I was wasting the rest of the chicken.  For the last few months with every chicken that I buy, as soon as I’ve finished removing all the meat I use the remains to make chicken stock.  It’s so much better (and better for you) than the containers you’ll buy at the grocery store, and you’re getting every last penny out of what you purchased.  And best of all, you won’t be wasting the rest of the bird, and it feels good to know I’m using every part that I can.

The best advice I can give is make sure to throw in vegetables (onions, carrots, celery) and herbs (fresh parsley, bay leaves) when you make the stock, and always let it very gently simmer.  Also, don’t forget to skim often (and don’t throw that down the drain!  It can clog your pipes.)  I like to make the stock the day before I make the soup, so that it can sit overnight in the fridge, and the next day I can skim any remaining fat off the top.  If you don’t need the stock right away, it freezes well for several months.  Here’s the recipe that I use:

How to Make Chicken Stock (from Simply Recipes)

{image shown belongs to elana’s pantry}