Chicken soup

Still thinking about recipes suited to lock down that use only a few ingredients, are quick and tasty, made me think of this soup. 

It was a regular on the menu at University, when I bought my first home, in the run up to our wedding and various other times over the years! I’d forgotten all about it until I started sorting out my recipe folder. It uses only a few ingredients and can be adapted to what you have, it is quick and simple to make and is really tasty. It’s also a healthy option being low in fat, salt and sugars with plenty of hidden vegetables. 

Chicken Soup 

Serves approx. 4

Ingredients

3 Chicken Thighs or a chicken carcass after you have had a meal from it already
3 Tomatoes roughly chopped
4 Carrot – Peeled and roughly sliced
3 Sticks Celery – chopped into thick slices
|1 Shallot or Onion or 1 tsp Onion Powder – depending on what you have available
2 Bay Leaves or a bouquet garni sachet
1-1.5 litres chicken stock depending on how thick you prefer your soup. (remember you can always add more water or stock but you can’t take it away!) 

Salt and Pepper to season

Parmesan –  grated for serving

80g small pasta shapes cooked – optional

Method

1. Put the chopped up tomatoes, carrots, celery and onion in a large pan or pot. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and place on top of the vegetables, then add the herbs. 
2. Pour over the chicken stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for about an hour until the carrots are soft and the thighs are cooked through. 
3. Remove from the heat, take the thighs out of the pan and place on a plate to one side.
4. Remember to take out the bay leaves or bouquet garni then using a stick blender liquidize the soup until smooth. You can always add a bit more water or chicken stock to change the soup to your preferred consistency. Taste the soup adding salt and pepper as required.
5. Using your fingers take the chicken off the bone and shred into small pieces. Discard the bones and add the chicken back into the soup mixture and give it a good stir. 
6. The soup can now be served or left to cool and reheated later. 
7. To serve grate parmesan over the top of the soup. 

This can be served with crusty bread for lunch or makes an easy filling supper the second day with a handful of cooked pasta added. It will keep covered in the fridge for a couple of days. 

TIP

I would usually make double or triple this quantity as it’s a good one to have in the fridge ready to serve as needed. If I do triple the recipe I tend to just triple the vegetables but not the chicken as there is plenty of chicken and just 3 litres of stock making a thick filling soup.

Kirsty Wilson Close

Instagram  kirsty_in_the_kitchen

Food Styling, Food Writing, Food Lover