Preparation:
Remove any plastic bags from inside the chicken [i.e., heart, liver], and set aside.
Put some water up to boil in a kettle [this is not your soup water].
Remove all excess fat from the chicken, checking the back, the front and back ends, skin with lumps of fat, around the thighs, and put aside to make shmaltz.
Rinse the chicken, remove any unwanted bits. Pour the boiled water through the chicken, then place it in the soup pot. Cover with water, plus 2 more inches of water.
Add the onions and 2 tbsp. of salt, and bring to a boil. Keep skimming til there's nothing to skim.
Add all the other ingredients. Cover and boil again, skim if necessary.
Cover and simmer for at least 3 hours, or until the chicken is falling off the bones.
Remove from heat and cool for several hours.
Strain the soup - remove everything, saving only the carrots and chicken meat.
Take apart the chicken and put the meat into bite-size pieces, and put it back into the pot, along with the carrots.
Serve with matzoh balls or noodles.
Enjoy. You earned it.
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