Whole Chicken and Chicken Stock Recipe

Two recipes in one! Cook both whole chickens and make stock too. Simmering the chickens with the stock ingredients adds a subtle flavor to the chicken, making it versatile for many other recipes utilizing chicken. It's excellent cold, too.

INGREDIENTS
2 (3 or 3&1/2 pound whole chickens)
2 Large onions, peeled, quartered
4 carrots, cut in pieces
4 celery stalks, cut in pieces
1 bulb garlic, cut top and bottom off, no need to peel
1 nub (about an inch) of fresh ginger root, no need to peel
bunch of parsley
1 teaspoon dried fennel seeds
16 whole black peppercorns
About 8-12 quarts water

DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to an extra large stock pot.
Add water, enough to completely cover chickens by about 1/2 inch. Cover with lid. Heat on high until just brought to boil. (This may take up to 15 minutes.)
Reduce heat to low simmer (might be the "warm" setting on your electric stove. Should have small bubbles, not "rolling" boil.)
Partially cover with lid. i.e., if lid has no steam- escape-valve, tilt the lid so steam can escape.)
Skim fatty scum from surface with spoon.
Cook for about 1 hour (depending upon chicken size.)

Remove chickens from pot and cool enough to handle.
De-bone chicken and reserve the chicken meat (refrigerate for other recipes and meals.)  Discard the skin. Return bones (which may also have some meat on them) to the stock pot.
Cover stockpot with lid partially tilted to allow steam to escape. This will reduce stock and intensify the flavors. (Watch carefully, especially in the first 15 minutes, to make sure temperature is correct, and stock does not come to a "rolling boil.")
Simmer stock for about 2 more hours.

Strain stock into another pot or large bowl. Discard stock ingredients.
Cool stock in ice bath.
Cover and refrigerate or freeze chicken stock. Several smaller containers work best.