What’s the savvy cooks’ answer to the age old chicken and the egg question — both, together, forever and in perfect harmony! Simply serve them together and vex generations of philosophers while delighting the taste senses of your family.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Total cook time: 1 day

Ready

• 1 whole chicken (or 4 thighs)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 egg per person
• water
• cooked pasta or white rice (optional)
• salt & pepper to taste

Set

• large soup pot with lid
• large bowl
• medium sized pot
• mesh colander or strainer
• small bowl
• ladle

Go

Day One

1. Place whole chicken with the skin still intact (optional) in a soup pot and fill with water until chicken is covered.
2. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. As soon as the water begins to boil remove from heat, remove the chicken to a large bowl and dump the foamy water down the drain.
4. Return chicken to now empty pot and refill with water.
5. Cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer at a low heat for 45 to 60 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and remove chicken once again to the large bowl leaving the stock. After the chicken has cooled remove the meat from the bones returning the bones, skin, and cartilage back to the soup pot. Cover the remaining meat and refrigerate.
7. Return soup pot to heat, cover with lid ajar and simmer for an additional 2 to 6 hours. (The longer you simmer the deeper the flavor.)
8. Remove soup from heat and let cool.
9. Once cool place soup in refrigerator overnight or for at least six hours.

Day Two

1. After cooling in the fridge a layer of fat will have congealed at the top of the soup. Remove with a spoon and discard.
2. Strain the remainder of the soup through colander and into second pot.
3. Bring to a low boil.
4. Break eggs into a small bowl, add two pinches of salt and mix.
5. Once the soup has reached a boil add the beaten eggs. They will cook fast.
6. Ladle into individual bowls. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.
7. If you want you can add some pre-cooked rice or noodles to the serving bowls.

What you should know

Some people are inclined to remove excess fat and skin before cooking, I prefer to remove the fat after the soup has had time to congeal since my preference is to leave a little for flavor.

If you are in a hurry you can simmer the soup for as little as an additional two hours and then use a degreaser with a few ice cubes to remove excess fat. Doing so will bring the total cook time closer to 4 hours.

I freeze leftover soup to save for later or to use for making Risotto and other dishes.

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