How to Make Chicken Soup from a Raw Carcass and Two Wings (Old Recipe, No Waste)
In this blog post I’m going to show you how to prepare chicken soup from a raw carcass and two wings. This is the only chicken soup I make at home. I learned it from my mom. She taught me how to use every part of a whole chicken. Nothing goes to waste.
When I buy a whole chicken, I rarely cook it whole. I separate the parts and save the carcass with the wings for soup. Many people think those are scraps,but they are not. They make an incredibly rich and flavorful chicken soup. This recipe proves that simple ingredients and good technique matter more than expensive cuts.
Click here to learn how to cook five meals from one raw chicken.
How to Prepare a Flavorful Broth for Chicken Soup
Add the chicken carcass and wings to a deep pot. Cover with cold water. Bring to a boil.
As the water heats, foam will rise to the surface. Skim it with a slotted spoon. This foam is coagulated protein and fat, also known as scum. Removing it gives you a clear, smooth broth.
Once the water boils, add vegetables, herbs, and spices. I usually add onion, garlic, carrot, whole peppercorns, parsley stems, or a bay leaf.
Pro tip: As I cook my daily meals I save vegetable scraps and peels in the freezer. When I make broth, I add them straight to the pot. They add depth and richness without extra cost.
After cooking, remove the carcass and wings. Pull all the meat from the bones. Then return the bones to the pot. Let them simmer for another one to two hours. This step boosts flavor and collagen.
I do not salt the broth. I season later while making the soup. This gives me better control.
Often, I make the broth a day ahead. I store the broth and chicken meat in separate containers in the fridge. Before using the broth, I skim off the solid fat layer to reduce my saturated fat intake.
What Is Zastroika and Why It’s Used in This Soup
Zastroika is a traditional Bulgarian soup thickener. It is made with yogurt and egg yolk. The mixture adds body, richness, and a gentle tang to the soup.
To keep it smooth, the zastroika must be tempered. I slowly add hot broth to the yogurt and egg mixture while stirring. This brings the temperature up gradually and prevents curdling. Once tempered, I stir it back into the soup off the heat.
Zastroika makes the soup silky and comforting. It does not make the soup heavy. This step is common in Bulgarian home cooking and is one of the reasons this chicken soup tastes so satisfying.
Substitutions and Variations
I finish this soup with fresh mint. This is not traditional. It is my mom’s choice, and now it’s mine. The mint adds a fresh note and balances the richness of the broth. If mint is not your thing, you can skip it or use fresh parsley or dill instead.
Potatoes are also flexible. I originally used russet potatoes, but yellow or baby potatoes work just as well. They hold their shape and still give the soup body.
You can swap the mushrooms for zucchini or leave them out completely. You can also add leafy greens like spinach or kale near the end of cooking.
I do not use celery because I personally dislike it. If celery is essential in your chicken soup, feel free to add it.
This soup is very forgiving. Use the vegetables you enjoy and have on hand. Just keep cooking times in mind. Add firmer vegetables first and softer ones last. For example, add potatoes, carrots, and celery early, and add leafy greens at the end.
Helpful tips about making the Chicken soup
- Season the onion and carrot with salt while sautéing. Salt helps release moisture and draws out their natural aromas.
- Bring the strained broth to a full boil before adding vegetables. This ensures even cooking from the start.
- Add firmer vegetables first and softer ones later. Potatoes, carrots, and celery go in early. Leafy greens go in last.
- Add angel hair or capellini pasta about 5 minutes before removing the soup from the stovetop. This pasta is very thin and cooks quickly. Always check the package instructions for precise timing.
- Remove the pot from the heat before adding the yogurt and egg yolk mixture. This prevents curdling and keeps the soup smooth.
- Temper the yogurt and egg mixture slowly with hot broth. Stir constantly for the best texture.
- Taste and adjust seasoning at the end. Broth reduces slightly during cooking, and flavors concentrate.
- Add fresh herbs at the very end. This keeps their flavor bright and fresh.
Serving, Storing, and Freezing
Serve the soup hot. I like it with a slice of bread and a side of pickled vegetables. Pepperoncini or olives work especially well and balance the richness of the soup.
Store the soup in the same pot you cooked it in, covered with a lid, or transfer it to an airtight container. Keep it refrigerated. We usually finish it within three to four days.
To reheat, I prefer the microwave and heat individual portions in separate bowls. If reheating on the stovetop, warm the soup slowly over low heat and stir often. This helps prevent the yogurt and egg mixture from curdling.
I have not tried freezing this soup. Because it contains yogurt and egg yolk, freezing may affect the texture. Since we eat it within a few days, freezing has never been necessary.
How to Make Chicken Soup from a Raw Carcass and Two Wings?
Ingredients
To make the broth
- 1 raw chicken carcass
- 2 raw chicken wings
- 1 onion roughly chopped
- 1 carrot roughly chopped
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ Tbsp whole black peppercorns optional
- few sprigs of fresh parsley optional
Ingredients for the soup
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil of choice I use sunflower oil
- 1½ cup finely chopped onion or one medium sized onion
- 1 cup finely chopped carrot
- 2½ quarts chicken stock 10 cups
- 1 lb russet (or other) potatoes peeled and chopped to ½ inch cubes
- the meat from the carcass and wings
- 1 oz dry angel hair pasta (or capellini) broken to 1 ½ inch pieces
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- ¼ cup plain whole yogurt
- 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup chopped fresh spearmint or herbs that you like
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Start by making the broth
- Use a sharp knife to separate a whole chicken to two breasts, two wings, two thighs, two drumsticks and one carcass.
- Add the raw carcass and two wings in a large pot (at least 6 quarts deep). Then cover with water and bring to a boil. Store the rest of the chicken parts in the freezer or fridge for other meals.
- Place the pot on a burner and the heat on high. Before the water starts boiling a foam (scum) from the coagulated proteins will appear on the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove as much as possible of that foam.
- Once you remove all the scum add add the onions, garlic, black peppercorns and parsley reduce the heat to simmer.
- Simmer for an hour at low heat.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the carcass and the wings from the pot on a plate. Allow it to cool off and separate all the meat from the bones. Place the meat in a food safe container with a lid. You can return the bones to the pot and continue simmering them for an extra flavorful and collagen rich broth or start making the soup.
- Before you start making the soup use a fine mesh strainer to strain the broth and transfer it in another clean pot. Make sure that you have 10 cups of broth.
To make the soup
- Peel and chop an onion and carrot to a fine dice. Peel and chop potatoes to ½ inch cubes. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
- To a soup pot add 1 Tbsp of oil and heat it to medium-high. Then add the chopped onion and carrot. Add some salt and stir. Cook the vegetables until they are slightly softer and the onion is translucent(3-5 min). Stir frequently.
- Pour 10 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Increase the heat and bring to boil.
- Season the broth with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cubed potatoes and sliced mushrooms. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Then break the pasta to thirds add it to the pot. Boil for 5 more minutes or until doneness.
- Once the vegetables and pasta are cooked add the chicken meat. Check for seasoning and remove from the stove.
To make zastroika (read the blog post)
- In a small bowl add the yogurt and the egg yolk. Stir to combine. Then add about a ¼ cup of the soup broth in that bowl and stir. Add some more soup broth to the bowl and stir again. When the yogurt mixture is tempered add it back to the soup and stir.
- Right before serving top with chopped fresh mint. Enjoy while it is still warm. Store leftover soup for 3-4 days in the fridge.
