Chicken Corn Soup

This is a classic Pennsylvania Dutch food with many variations. Fire Halls often have Chicken Corn Soup sales, and this soup is often sold at auctions and other public gatherings/fundraisers.

Ingredients

1 medium - large onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
2 cups cubed potatoes, may leave them unpeeled if cleaned
2 cups corn, cream and/or regular
1 1/2 tsp dried parsley or 2 Tbsp fresh,  chopped
4 hard-cooked eggs, diced
1/2 tsp salt, I prefer Adobo seasoning
dash of pepper
saffron- 2 pinches of strands or 1/2 tsp powder  (may also substitute 1/2 tsp tumeric)
very thin noodles- crushed to equal a handful (optional)
For rivels if desired- 1 egg, 1- 1/4 cups flour


Saute onions in butter in 4 qt. pot. Then combine broth, chicken, potatoes, corn, seasoning and parsley. Bring to a boil and add crushed noodles and begin preparing rivels. In a bowl, combine egg and flour and work with hands. Sprinkle little pieces of the dough (rivels) into the boiling soup, stirring constantly. Cook for a couple minutes, then turn down heat and finish cooking until potatoes are tender. Add eggs. If soup becomes too thick, add a little more chicken broth as it cooks.

Variation: for a creamier soup, use creamed corn and add at the end of the cooking 1 can of evaporated milk or 3/4 cup light cream.  You could also make a white sauce in a separate pan from 2 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp flour. Cook together until thick paste, then gradually add 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly. Cook to boiling and then continue on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes to cook the flour. When thickened, stir into soup as potatoes finish cooking. Continue cooking on low-medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add the eggs when finished.

*Recipe adapted from Ann Barley- from Whole Foods For The Whole Family La Leche League Cookbook 1981 and from Arlene Ruhl-  in Lancaster County Cookbook 1993.