Serves 8 to 10, I think.

Undeniably my favorite soup. It’s so damn, and other than making your won chicken, it’s relatively easy. The video is at the bottom if you wanna scope it first.

FOR THE CHICKEN

One 3-4 pound chicken, stuff removed from inside

1/4 cup butter

Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper

1 large onion (any color) sliced into 3 or 4 1/2 inch thick slices

1 lemon, cut in quarters

1 head of garlic, sliced in half

Preheat oven to 300
Dry chicken well, then season cavity with salt & pepper, then stuff with lemon and 1/2 of the garlic head
Tue legs together, rub all over with butter, then season outside with salt & pepper
Put into a pan on top of the onion slices, and cook in the oven until the breast registers about 160 - remove (2.5 to 3 hours), cover loosely with foil and let rest

FOR THE SOUP

Oil

3 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

2 stalks celery, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 yellow onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, or about 1 teaspoon dried

2 bay leaves

8 cups broth

6 ounces dried, thin egg noodles - or pretty much any dried noodle you like

2 - 3 cups shredded chicken

Heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large pot over medium high heat and add carrots - saute a couple minutes
Add the celery & onion, and saute everything another 5 minutes - then add garlic and mix in
Put in the thyme, bay leaves and broth - bring to a boil then turn down to a simmer - cover and let go 15 minutes
Remove bay leaves, then add the noodles and chicken and cook until noodles have softened - about 10 minutes
Season with salt & pepper to taste
Put in a bowl and add matzo balls, garnish with parsley

FOR MATZO BALLS

1 pack matzo ball mix

3 tablespoons chopped curly parsley