Our best-ever chicken stock begins with wings, which have a high skin-to-meat ratio. Browning the wings results in lots of caramelized nooks and crannies that imbue the stock with a deep, savory flavor.
Ingredients
8 Servings
Dark chicken stock:
Assembly:
Dark chicken stock:
Step 1
Trim dark green leaves from leek; discard all but 2. Slice leek in half lengthwise; set aside. Tuck parsley, thyme, and bay leaves inside leek leaves; tie closed with kitchen twine.
Step 2
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Working in batches, cook wings, turning often, until browned all over, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Step 3
Add onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and reserved leek to pot. Cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 10–12 minutes. Add tomato paste; cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, scraping up browned bits. Add wings, leek bundle, peppercorns, and 12 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, skimming occasionally, until stock is deep amber and chicken is falling off the bone, 1 1/2–2 hours. Remove chicken and vegetables. Strain stock into a clean large heavy pot.
Assembly:
Step 4
Bring stock to a simmer over medium-high heat; season with salt and pepper. Add thighs, cover, and simmer until cooked through, 8–10 minutes. Transfer thighs to a plate; let cool slightly. Shred meat; discard bones.
Step 5
Add carrots and onions to pot; simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Add meat. Meanwhile, cook noodles in a pot of boiling salted water until just al dente, 7–8 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water. Add to soup. Serve topped with chervil.
Step 6
Do ahead: Soup (without noodles) can be made 2 days ahead (or 2 months if frozen). Let cool; transfer to airtight containers and chill.
Leave a Review
Reviews (2)
Back to TopA fine recipe.. with some tweaks. In the end I seasoned with more than just salt and pepper. Added smoked paprika and cumin for a little twist. Mine ended up darker than the pic, but still delicious. Watch the accompanying video. It lends way more clarity. Addressing the other comment: "do you discard the wings after making the stock? (references to "meat" later in the recipe are not clear as to whether it refers only to the thighs, or the wings, as well)" - Yes discard the wings. When making a stock all the ingredients originally put in are going to have the flavors sucked out of them and into the liquid. If you taste these wings, they will taste like absolutely nothing. All the good stuff has been removed. ""pearl onions" reference in "Assembly" ingredients list is mistakenly broken into two bullet points, leading me to believe that I also needed a "root" vegetable. Correct those elements, and I will upgrade my rating." - It is not a mistake. You need a regular "root" onion to make the stock and then pearl onions to assembly the soup. Again just watch the video and things will be clear.
Anonymous
New York, NY
3/17/2018
the recipe has a few points of confusion: - do you discard the wings after making the stock? (references to "meat" later in the recipe are not clear as to whether it refers only to the thighs, or the wings, as well) - "pearl onions" reference in "Assembly" ingredients list is mistakenly broken into two bullet points, leading me to believe that I also needed a "root" vegetable. Correct those elements, and I will upgrade my rating.
bdeviller
3/5/2018
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