CHINESE CHICKEN SOUP

1 whole chicken
About 1 gallon water
2-3 tablespoons chicken bouillon (more or less to taste)
1 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1-2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
4-6 dried chili de arbol (or red pepper flakes)

baby carrots
sugar snap or snow peas
broccoli
fresh spinach (add this after everything else has cooked through)
any other veggies you'd like!

Soba noodles, buckwheat noodles or lo mein noodles


Place whole chicken in large stock pot. Add all everything through the chili's. If chicken is not covered, add more water. Place pot over medium heat and boil until chicken is cooked through and begins to fall apart (about 45 minutes).

Remove chicken and place on cookie sheet to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and shred chicken into bite sized pieces and add back into stock.

Cook noodles according to package directions.

Return stock to a low boil. Add veggies, firmest first because they need to cook the longest. Adjust seasoning, if too salty, add water. If not salty enough, add bouillon. Add more pepper to taste. When veggies cooked through, serve with noodles. Although it is totally not chinese, usually I like to top mine with asiago cheese but today I used pepper jack.... really yummy!