Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup (Incl. Roasted Chicken, Rich Chicken Stock and Soup Recipes)

Salt and black pepper
1 medium acorn squash, unpeeled, cut into chunks
2 leeks, cut into 2" pieces
5 stalks celery, cut into 2" pieces
½ lb button mushrooms
½ tbsp olive oil
½ large onion, cut into chunks
1 head garlic (about 20 cloves), cloves peeled but left whole
1 ½ cups celery leaves
2 sprigs thyme
1 unwaxed lemon, cut in eighths
1 (3-4 lb) chicken, washed and patted dry
2 cloves garlic, cut into slivers
1 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 lbs bone-in chicken backs
2 bay leaves
¼ cup whole peppercorns
1 cup dry white wine
6 quarts cold water
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1 tsp olive oil
¼ large onion, thinly sliced
½ small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
½ red pepper, diced
1 leek, washed and sliced thinly
6 cups prepared chicken stock
2 cups water
1 sprig thyme, de-stemmed
½ tsp dried basil
½ cup frozen green peas
13 oz diced cooked meat from the stock chicken
4 oz dried soba (or whole wheat) noodles, broken in half

--Roasted Chicken--
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a deep roasting pan, stir together squash, leeks, celery and mushrooms. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of the pan, drizzle with ½ tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl, combine the onion, whole garlic cloves, celery leaves, thyme, lemon, salt and pepper. Toss well.
Stuff the cavity of the chicken with the mixture, add any remaining stuffing to the roasting pan with the vegetables.
Make slits into the skin of the chicken all over (do not penetrate the meat), stuff each with a sliver of garlic.
Rub the outer skin of the chicken with olive oil and and lightly season with salt and pepper.
Tie the legs together, and set the chicken breast side up on top of the vegetables in the roasting pan.
Roast for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350F and baste with the pan juices.
Continue roasting the chicken, basting every 15 minutes, until the juices run clear - a total of 45 minutes plus 7 minutes per pound. (In other words, a 3 1/2 pound chicken would take a basic 45 minutes plus an additional 25 minutes, for a total 70 minutes or 1 hour and 10 minutes of cooking time).
Remove from the oven and move chicken to a plate or board. Cool chicken until easily handled if making stock (reserve stuffing, minus the lemon pieces). If serving as a roasted chicken dinner, tent with foil and rest 10 minutes before carving.
Return remaining vegetables to the oven, raise the heat to 450F and roast a further 30 minutes.
Either serve roasted vegetables with chicken or proceed with stock recipe.

--Roasted Chicken and Vegetable Stock--
Preheat oven to 450F.
With your hands (I find it easiest), remove the majority of the meat from the chicken bones.
Place the bones in a roasting pan or rectangular pan with chicken backs, spray with canola oil.
Roast for 40 minutes.
Add the roasted bones, reserved roasted vegetables, roasted chicken stuffing, bay leaves, and peppercorns to a large stockpot.
To the pan that held the roasted chicken, add wine and bring to a simmer, stirring to dislodge the pan juices and roasted bits from the bottom. Add to the stockpot along with the water.
Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat to a low simmer and cook, partially covered, for 5 hours. Skim the surface of any foam or scum and stir every hour.
After 5 hours, remove from the heat and strain into a clean pot.
Place back on the stove over high heat.
Cook until slightly reduced, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Use immediately or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

--Roasted Chicken Noodle Soup--
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.
Add onion and squash. Cook, stirring frequently, 10-12 minutes.
Add celery, red pepper and leek. Cook, stirring, 5-6 minutes.
Stir in chicken stock and water, then add herbs.
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in frozen peas, chicken meat and noodles.
Simmer until noodles are cooked, about 4-5 minutes.

Number of Servings: 6

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user JO_JO_BA.