The other day I made a whole chicken on the grill in pieces. It was delicious! Just a little BBQ sauce and an open flame is all I need to make The Husband happy in the dinner department.
I also picked up a few ears of corn from the grocery store. They aren't in season locally yet but when I saw them I couldn't resist. Nothing says, "Hello Summer!" like corn on the cob and BBQ chicken.
After dinner I couldn't bring myself to just throw out the chicken bones. It just seems like such a waste. We also had one thigh and one leg leftover. Instead of saving those I decided to through them in a pot with the rest of the bones and make a fun summer stock for some homemade soup.
What makes it "summery?"
Corn cobs!
That's right I threw the cobs right in the pot!
Now this may be old hat for some of you but I never thought of doing this before. Ever. I'm not sure why?! It just never occurred to me.
Well I'm glad I gave it a shot! The result was delicious! You could taste the corn but it didn't overpower the chicken. Both flavors complimented each other so well.
I ended up making a simple Chicken and Corn Soup with the broth but you could really use it for anything. Let me walk you through what I did in hopes it inspires you to try something similar.
The Stock
Ingredients
- Chicken Bones from whole chicken (with some meat still attached)
- ½ red onion (with skin)
- 2 Carrots
- 2 Corn cobs without the kernels
- Bottom of the head of celery plus the hearts
- Water
Instructions
Put everything in a pot. Fill water about 2 inches over the bones and other ingredients. (note: they float. 🙂
Bring to a boil. Cover and continue to boil for about an hour. The water level should go down about an inch.
Lower to a simmer and continue to cook for at least 4 hours. I leave mine on simmer overnight and wake up to this…
Shut off the heat, let cool for a bit and then drain the broth through a tight colander.
Remove any chicken (I ended up with about 6 oz) then throw away the bones and cooked veggies.
The Soup
Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- Leftover chicken from the stock
- 1 15oz can of corn drained
- Stock from above
Instructions
Saute the onion and peppers with a little non-stick cooking spray in a large pot. Add the cooked chicken.
Add the stock from above (I had just about 9 cups) and a can of corn without the liquid.
Keep on high until just boiling then lower to a simmer until you are ready to eat! I had a bowl right away. I couldn't wait.
Have you ever thrown the cobs in a stock pot before?
It was delicious!
Nutritional information is tough to calculate on homemade soups in my opinion, but I'll estimate based on generic chicken stock. Here's what I ended up with.
📖 Recipe
Homemade Chicken & Corn Soup
Ingredients
The Stock
The Soup
- 1 sweet onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 green bell pepper
- Leftover chicken from the stock
- 1 15 oz can of corn drained
- Stock from above
Instructions
The Stock
- Put everything in a pot. Fill water about 2 inches over the bones and other ingredients. (note: they float. 🙂Chicken Bones from whole chicken, 2 Carrots, 2 Corn cobs without the kernels, Bottom of the head of celery plus the hearts, Water, 1 sweet onion, 1 green bell pepper, 1 15 oz can of corn drained
- Bring to a boil. Cover and continue to boil for about an hour. The water level should go down about an inch.
- Lower to a simmer and continue to cook for at least 4 hours. I leave mine on simmer overnight and wake up to this…
- Shut off the heat, let cool for a bit and then drain the broth through a tight colander.
- Remove any chicken (I ended up with about 6 oz) then throw away the bones and cooked veggies.
The Soup
- Saute the onion and peppers with a little non-stick cooking spray in a large pot. Add the cooked chicken.½ red onion, 1 red bell pepper, Leftover chicken from the stock
- Add the stock from above (I had just about 9 cups) and a can of corn without the liquid.Stock from above
- Keep on high until just boiling then lower to a simmer until you are ready to eat! I had a bowl right away. I couldn't wait.
roni
I was SHOCKED how flavorful it was. The long boil and long simmer time really pulls out a lot of flavor! I didn't had anything besides what was listed.
Lindsay
Would you need to add any seasonings or does the stock provide most of the flavor?
Amy @ A Little Nosh
Can't say that it ever occurred to me to add the cob to a stock, either!
roni
lol I get that but it boiled for an HOUR. I'm pretty sure no cooties could survive that. 😉
Tina
It looks SO good .. (but I don't know if I'd enjoy it as much knowing my family gnawed the heck out of the corn and chicken bones before I threw it in the pot). That makes me a lame-o germ-a-phone, I know, lol.
Diane in Wisconsin
Sounds delightful!