Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 half chicken cut up and skin removed (or two chicken breast halves, bone-in, no skin)
  
• 12 cups water
  
• 3 cloves garlic, whole
  
• 1 onion, quartered
  
• 2 stalks of celery (chopped in 3 pieces each)
  
• 2 carrots (chopped in 3 pieces each)
  
• 3 bay leaves
  
• 1 bouquet of parsley or cilantro
  
• 6 shiitake mushrooms
  
• 4 green onions
  
• a handful of cilantro leaves
  
• Sambal Oelek chili paste
  

Directions

1. Put the first 8 ingredients to a large stockpot, bring to a boil (high heat) and then reduce to simmer (medium-high heat).
2. Simmer for 25-30 minutes, skimming from time to time and seasoning as needed.
3. Chop chicken into large pieces and reserve.
4. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve and discard the cooked veggies and herbs.
5. After straining the broth, return it to a boil on the stove.
6. Add two packages of unflavored Raman noodles—you can get the flavored kind and just throw away the little seasoning packet.
7. Hakubaku makes the best organic dried noodles, including ramen, I found them at Cost Plus World Market.
8. Stir periodically while that cooks, it’ll take about three minutes.
9. For your garnish, thinly slice six shitake mushrooms and four green onions, sliced thin on the bias and a few fresh cilantro leaves.
10. When the Ramen is cooked, stir in the chicken, and then pour into bowls.
11. Sprinkle the raw mushroom, onion and cilantro and stir in about 1/2 tsp. of Sambal Oelek chili paste to each bowl (the chili paste is spicy so use it at your own discretion).