Chicken Soup

1 whole chicken, or 3-4 pounds chicken bones and parts
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil or oregano, or both
1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika
4-6 cups water
firm tofu, or cooked rice
2 tablespoons soy sauce or other spicy sauce
snipped chives or green onions

In "ugly pot", or batter bowl, combine chicken, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, salt, basil, oregano and water. Microwave on high 10 minutes, then on half power for at least 30 minutes, preferably up to 1 hour. For clear broth, strain. For chunky soup, leave the vegetable in the stock and cut up the chicken and add it back to the mixture. If using the tofu or rice, let it stand in the soy sauce while the soup is cooking, and at serving time add to the soup, cutting the tofu into small chunks first. Add the chives. OR, combine all ingredients except for the tofu or rice, in a heavy bottomed stock pot. Bring to a boil, and reduce to simmer and cook for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours, until chicken is very tender and soup is flavorful. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt and pepper, lemon juice if needed, to bring up the flavor.

Chicken -- Soups