Step 1

Preheat oven to 375.

Step 2

Place chicken in 5 1/2 qt. Le Creuset Dutch Oven and rub all over with softened ghee

Step 3

Sprinkle with generous amounts of salt and pepper to coat.

Step 4

Place onion, carrots, celery and garlic around the chicken.

Step 5

Roast, uncovered, for 1.5 hours.

Step 6

Remove from oven and place on burner.

Step 7

Add broth (and/or water) and turn heat up to high.

Step 8

Add rosemary, thyme, sage, bay leaf, oregano, peppercorn.

Step 9

Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and cover.

Step 10

Simmer (covered) as long as possible – if you used chicken broth I would suggest 2 hours – if you used water and broth I would suggest 3-4 hours – if you used all water I would suggest 4-6 hours.

Step 11

Remove chicken and set aside to cool slightly.

Step 12

Strain broth and discard the cooked vegetables.

Step 13

Place strained broth back in your dutch oven.

Step 14

Once chicken as cooled enough, remove all the meat and place it in the broth (Note: depending on how big your chicken is, feel free not use all the chicken if you feel the chicken-broth ratio is off.  If you want a thicker, chunkier soup then use it all, but if you want more of a broth-based soup then reserve some of the chicken for another purpose.)

Step 15

Also feel free to keep the chicken bones to make bone broth!

Step 16

Once the chicken meat is back in the broth, add your onion, celery, carrots and bay leaf.

Step 17

Taste and add salt and pepper, to taste, a pinch at a time.

Step 18

This would also be the time to add any other ingredients you want (sweet potato, turnip, parsnip or noodles.

Step 19

Let simmer approx. 8-10 minutes or until your vegetables are cooked, but still firm.