Chicken Soup for the Body and Soul

Is it just me or does the whole world have the flu?  Seems like it, so even though my family is relatively healthy right now (knock on wood) I'm in the mood to make some chicken soup. 

Chicken Soup

Stock
1 gallon of water
1 whole chicken, approx 5 lbs
1 small onion, peeled and halved
2 stalks celery, broken in 2
2 carrots, broken in 2
2 stalks rosemary and thyme
4-5 large sage leaves
1 TB sea salt
1 clove garlic

Fill a large stock pot with the gallon of water and set burner to high.  Take your whole chicken and remove all the skin except for the skin on the thighs and wings.  This will make your stock far less fatty, but keep enough flavor.   I use kitchen shears to do this.  Again, using my shears, I cut off the legs, wings, and cut the body in half.  All goes into the pot, including the gizzards.  Once the chicken is in, I put the rest of the stock ingredients into the pot.

Once the stock comes to a roaring boil, turn the heat to medium and let boil for 1 1/2 hours.  Stir occasionally.
When the stock is finished, I use a chinese strainer to remove all solid bits within the pot.  Toss everything except the chicken in the garbage.  Once the chicken cools enough to touch, pull 1/2 of the chicken meat from the bone.  Shred into whatever size you desire your chicken to be. 

Pull the rest of the chicken off the bone and put in the fridge to use later in the week for sandwiches, salads, etc. 
Return the stock to the burner and set to medium low.

Soup

1 cup kale (about 2 large leaves) chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 leek halved and sliced
2 stalks celery choppped
1 carton, low sodium organic broth
2/3  cup semolina soup noodles (or whatever you like)
1 to 2 tsp sea salt (or to taste) 

Add all ingredients to the stock, except the noodles.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the noodles and boil another 10 minutes. 

Enjoy!