Roasted Garlic Chicken Noodle Soup

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Add the bones and skin from the chicken into a large pot and cover with water. Put the lid on and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Set the chicken meat aside for now.

Meanwhile, wrap the head of garlic in a small piece of tin foil and roast the garlic at 425 F for 45 minutes until fragrant.

When the stock is done simmering, place a strainer over a large bowl and drain the stock. Discard the solids and set the stock aside.

Return the soup pot to the burner over medium heat and add the olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery with a sprinkle of salt. Cook the veggies for 5-7 minutes until slightly tender, then zest the lemon directly over the pot. Cut the head of roasted garlic in half and squish the cloves into the pot, then add 6 cups of the chicken stock.

Cover the pot and return to a simmer. Allow the soup to simmer for 15 minutes, then add the kale and shredded reserved chicken to the pot. Squeeze in the juice from 1/2 of the lemon. Taste the soup, and add salt and pepper to your taste, or more lemon juice if you’d like. To increase the amount of soup, add extra broth if you’d like.

Let the kale and chicken heat through for 5 more minutes, then serve the soup. To serve, add a bit of the cooked and drained pasta to a bowl, and ladle the broth mixture over it. Serve with additional lemon wedges, if desired.

Notes:
– Reserve any extra stock and use it for another meal! It can be kept in the fridge for up to a week or the freezer indefinitely.
– This recipe is gluten-free if you omit the pasta!