Smokey Chicken Stew

This week's soup of the week is a smokey chicken stew. It is one I created using leftover chicken carcasses. Really! The flavor is outstanding and oh so satisfying.
A couple of times each month we smoke a whole chicken on the grill. That usually makes 2 meals and then I freeze the carcass for the soup. I usually wait until I have two and that gives the soup a lot more flavor and more meat. You can also use roasted chicken or turkey as well, but you won't have the smokey flavor.

Cover the carcases with water and bring to a boil. Let simmer covered an hour or so. Remove chickens and let cool. While the chickens cool add 1/2 large onion, chopped and 2 carrots, also chopped to the stock. You can vary the veggies to use what you have on hand, but I never use more than 3 or so. Today I had fresh crowder peas and butter peas from the garden, frozen corn and canned green beans (drained). I added these to the pot along with the bits of chicken picked from the bones. Simmer until carrots are tender and then toss in a couple of large handfuls of pasta. Continue to cook until pasta is done and .. enjoy!