TO PREPARE THE SOUP

• Rinse chicken, in and outside, under cold running water. If the neck is inside the chicken, add it to the pot. Remove the liver and reserve for another use.
• Place chicken in a 7 or 8-quart soup pot. Fill the pot with water leaving 3 inches at the top. Bring water to a boil over high heat.
• Boil for 10 minutes. Skim the foam that rises to the top, lifting it out with a large spoon, and discard.
• Add the remainder of the ingredients. Turn down the heat to medium-low, or to a gentle simmer. Set the cover ajar (covered ¾ of the way) over the pot to allow some steam to escape and let it cook 1-½ hours, checking every 15 minutes to make sure the water isn't boiling.
• Remove the chicken and carrots; set aside. Discard the rest of the vegetables.
• Remove the legs and thighs from the chicken. You can leave them whole or tear apart with your fingers into bite side pieces; set aside. Remove the breast meat from the bones. You can dice the breast meat or shred it with 2 forks.
• The soup can be strained through a fine-mesh strainer or a large piece of cheesecloth to remove the little pieces that have collected on the bottom of the pot. Chill the soup in the covered pot or large bowl, preferably overnight. When cool, skim the hardened layer of fat from the top of the soup.
• Ladle soup into serving bowls. Add chicken and cooked vegetables. Garnish with a little fresh dill. Serve hot.