Miso Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken noodle soup with a little somethin' extra. Makes about 4-6 servings.

Chemistry

~2-2.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
4 oz uncooked egg noodles
~4 cups chopped vegetables (see Flavorings)
5 cups of a flavorful liquid (see Flavorings)

Flavorings

1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
4 cups of chicken stock (this plus 1 cup of water makes the flavorful liquid)
1 tsp kosher salt (plus more to taste)
Several cranks of a black pepper mill
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 cup red miso paste

Procedure

Season chicken thighs on both sides with salt. Set a large pot over medium-high heat with the vegetable oil in the bottom. When the oil shimmers, place the chicken skin-side down in a single layer in the pot and cook until a brown crust forms, which should take 4-5 minutes. Flip chicken over and repeat on the other side. Remove to a plate when both sides are browned.

Place onion, carrots, and celery in the pot with an extra pinch of salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and the onion turns translucent, another 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the stock (just the stock; no water yet) and scrape the fond off the bottom of the pot. Add the thyme and black pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pot. Cover the pot and adjust the heat to keep the soup at a simmer until the bones easily pull out of the chicken thighs, which will probably take an hour and a half or so. During this time, stir occasionally to make sure stuff isn't sticking to the bottom.

Once the chicken is ready to go, remove it to a plate and discard the bones and, if you wish, the skins. Shred the chicken and let sit aside for a second.

Add 1 cup of water to the pot and bring it back to a simmer. While waiting for the pot to simmer again, remove about 1/2 cup of the liquid in the pot and place in a small bowl with the miso paste. Stir until the miso paste is dissolved. You can also use this opportunity to fish out the thyme stems.

Once the pot is simmering again, add the egg noodles and miso paste mixture to the pot. Cook until the noodles are tender to your liking, which should take 6-8 minutes.

Once the noodles are done, add the chicken back to the pot and stir to distribute everything. Adjust the salt and pepper, if you want. Serve.