Chicken Stock with Sautéed Breast Meat
makes about 2 quarts
NOTE: Choose this broth when you want to add breast meat to
soup. This recipe starts with a whole chicken rather than just
backs or legs.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2pounds), breast removed, split, and reserved; remaining chicken hacked with cleaver into 2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice
2 quarts boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 bay leaves
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Heat oil in large stockpot over medium heat. When oil shimmers and starts to smoke, add chicken breast halves; sauté until brown on both sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken breast pieces and set aside. Add onion to pot; sauté until colored and softened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer onion to large bowl.
2. Add half of hacked chicken pieces to pot; sauté until no longer pink, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onion. Sauté remaining hacked chicken pieces. Return onion and chicken pieces (excluding the breasts) to pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices, about 20 minutes.
3. Increase heat to high; add boiling water, chicken breasts, salt, and bay leaves. Return to simmer, then cover and barely simmer until chicken breasts are cooked through and broth is rich and flavorful, about 20 minutes.
4. Remove chicken breasts from pot; when cool enough to handle, remove skin from breasts, then remove meat from bones and shred into bite-sized pieces; discard skin and bone. Strain broth into separate container and discard solids. Skim fat (see figures 2 and 3), and reserve for later use in soups or other recipes. (The shredded chicken and broth can be covered and refrigerated separately up to 2 days.)