So my chicken carcass is bubbling into stock... what do I do with it?

[FlingonTheValiant]

We're taking out a mortgage so my first step towards more frugal living is to use everything. With that in mind I have decided to make stock for the first time.

Is there something simple I can do with it once it's made? Can it easily be turned into chicken soup? Or is it only for use with stews etc?

I am actually a pretty good cook, but I don't normally do roasts or soups, so I'm a bit out of my depth with this one.

Thanks for any ideas.

I've just made soup with mine. This is what I did:

Dice a large onion
Chop four celery sticks
Slice 6 medium carrots
Chop 3 rashers of smoked back bacon

Put all of these into a large pan (I did mine in the pressure cooker) and on to a high heat; add 4 crushed cloves of garlic and season with salt, black pepper, dried oregano and some chilli flakes (not many - it's for flavour rather than heat)

After the vegetables are softened, add a tin of tomatoes, and then your chicken stock.

Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes (10 minutes on high in the pressure cooker), then puree in a blender or with a hand-held stick blender.

That made enough for 4 people.

Makes great soup and is so easy. Once boiled I remove and keep all bits of chicken to put back in. Fry onion in a bit of butter then add the chicken water. Add a stock cube for flavour and what ever veg you like. Cook until veg is soft and then leave as a chunky watery soup or blitz it. Fab meal with lovely fresh bread.

Oh wow, that's even easier than I thought.

It's cooking with onion, garlic and black pepper at the moment, so I'm hoping it'll have a bit of taste before I even start on the soup.

Thanks so much!

Actually, FTV, I reckon that I made enough for 6 people with that recipe - have just been pouring what was left after DH and I had a bowl each for lunch, and there's a good litre left.