- 1 soup chicken (5½ to 6 pounds), preferably a stewing hen
- 2 onions, unpeeled, cut in half
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 ribs celery with leaves, cut in half
- 2 carrots, unpeeled, cut in half
- 2 parsnips, unpeeled, cut in half
- 3 cloves garlic, unpeeled, lightly crushed
- 1 large ripe tomato, halved and seeded
- 8 sprigs fresh dill
- 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons coarse or kosher salt
- Remove the giblets from the chicken and reserve for another use. Rinse the chicken well and trim off all excess fat. Cut the chicken into 6 pieces and place them in a large soup pot.
- Stud the onions with the cloves and place them in the pot, along with all the remaining ingredients. Add 12 cups water.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the top. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the pot. If it is not a stewing hen, which would be tough, reserve the meat for another use. Discard the large vegetables and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Adjust the seasonings if necessary. Allow the broth to cool to room temperature.
- If the broth is to be used immediately, allow the fat to rise to the surface; then degrease the broth by skimming off the fat with a metal spoon or by pouring the broth through a gravy separator. If it is not for immediate use, transfer the broth to a storage container and refrigerate it, covered, until the layer of fat has solidified on top, 4 hours or overnight. Remove the fat before using. Refrigerated, the broth will keep for up to 4 days; frozen, for up to 3 months.