Canned Chicken Soup Base

Chicken soup is a hug in a bowl and this canned soup base is so versatile. It is very easy to pull together, and makes a great creamy gnocchi soup, or chicken pot pie for two, or even just as chicken noodle soup. Whatever takes your fancy, this recipe will step up to the occasion and will quickly become a pantry staple.

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Makes: 6 pt

Prep time: 30 minutes

Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes

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Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp butter

• 1 1/2 cups onions, diced

• 1 1/2 cups carrots, diced

• 1 cup potatoes, diced

• 1 cup celery, diced

• 6 cups chicken stock

• 1 tsp dried thyme

• 1 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 cups raw chicken, diced

• 1/2 cup frozen peas

• 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a large stock pot. Add onions and cook until translucent. Add carrots and celery and saute a further 5 minutes.

2. Add stock, potatoes, thyme, salt and pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes until everything is tender.

3. Remove from heat and remove bay leaf. Add chicken, peas, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine.

4. While onions are cooking, prepare your pressure canner according to manufacturer's direction. Add in appropriate amount of jars to begin heating. 6 pints.

5. When jars are hot and soup base is finished. Add hot soup base to hot jars making sure to get an even distribution of broth and chunks between the jars. Make sure there is 1 inch of headspace. Wipe rims and place lids according to lid directions. Finger tight for two piece, finger in the middle for three piece reusable.

6. Place jars in prepared pressure canner and place lid on. Bring to a boil and allow the canner to vent for 10 minutes.

7. Process pint jars for 75 minutes.

8. Allow jars to cool 12-24 hours before washing and checking the seals. Label and store.

Tips and Notes:

• One cup of broth can be substituted with one cup of dry white wine.

• A 1/2 cup of mushrooms can be used in place of a 1/2 cup of the celery.

• Turn this into pot pie by thickening the broth with roux (2 tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour cooked to golden, add strained broth), place in a pie shell. Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.

• Make a creamy soup by adding in heavy cream. Add in cooked noodles or gnocchi.

• Make regular soup by adding in cooked noodles or cooked rice.

• This recipe adapted from the All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving