Making the Bone Broth Chicken Soup (The Part That Makes Your House Smell Amazing):

1. Deal with that carcass: If you’re using leftovers from Sunday’s roast chicken, pick off any good meat chunks and save ’em for later. Then break that bad boy down into smaller pieces. I usually just go at it with kitchen shears while watching Netflix. Smaller pieces = more flavor when making chicken soup with carcass.
2. Dump everything in the pot: Throw the chicken bones, feet (if you’re brave enough), and all that other broth stuff into your biggest pot. Cover it with cold water — and yes, it has to be cold, not trying to be difficult here, it actually makes a difference. Add the vinegar and let it hang out for 30 minutes. This is science, people.
3. Get it bubbling: Crank the heat to medium-high until you see bubbles threatening to party too hard, then dial it back to maintain just a gentle simmer. You want it barely bubbling, not going crazy like a hot tub at a bachelor party.
4. Deal with the scum: For the first half hour or so, gross foam stuff will float to the top. Grab a big spoon and skim that junk off. Nobody wants scum in their chicken soup benefits. This step makes your broth all nice and clear.
5. The waiting game: Let everything simmer away for at least 2-3 hours. Longer if you’ve got the patience of a saint. I sometimes go 4-5 hours if I’m having a lazy Sunday. Just check it now and then to make sure it’s not boiling too hard or getting too low. Add a splash more water if needed.
6. Strain that gold: Line a colander with cheesecloth (or a clean kitchen towel in a pinch) and put it over another big pot. Carefully pour everything through. Don’t burn yourself, that’s just embarrassing. Then pick through the strained stuff to rescue any good meat. There’s usually a surprising amount hiding in there!
7. Chill out: Let the broth cool a bit, then stick it in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight. This makes the fat rise to the top and solidify, so you can easily scrape it off. I usually leave a little fat because, hello, flavor!

Making the Hearty Chicken Soup Recipe (The Part Where It All Comes Together):

1. Get sautéing: In a soup pot, heat up that olive oil over medium heat. Toss in your diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until they’re getting soft but not brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute until it smells so good you want to face-plant into the pot.
2. Bring on the broth: Pour in your amazing homemade chicken stock, add the herbs, and bring it up to a simmer. If you’re doing barley or rice, add it now and let it cook until it’s tender. Barley takes forever (like 30-40 minutes), rice is quicker (15-20 minutes). Pasta is even faster, so maybe wait a bit before adding that.
3. Chicken time: Once your grains are almost there, throw in the chicken you saved and let it warm up for 5-10 minutes. No need to cook it to death, it’s already cooked!
4. Finish with the fresh stuff: Now stir in that dill, parsley, and the lemon juice. This is the part that makes your soup pop! Don’t skip it or you’ll be sad. Give it a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. I always need more salt than I think I will.
5. Get it in bowls ASAP: Ladle that liquid gold into bowls, sprinkle with some extra parsley to make it Instagram-worthy, and serve with some crusty bread for dunking. You’ve earned this moment.