Name: Chicken soup
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 8 pieces of chicken (legs, wings etc); 1 onion; 1 clove of garlic; 3 cm piece of ginger ( optional); 2 carrots; 2 pieces of different root vegetables ( such as parsnip, swede, turnip, sweet potato); 2 or 3 stock cubes ( chicken & vegetable); 150g French beans or broccoli rosettes ( or other green vegetables); 1 cup of green peas; small bunch of parsley or tarragon (optional)

Chicken soup

21 Jun 2016

by Dinna

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

55 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Background

During the winter I make chicken soup all the time. This basic recipe can be easily adjusted according to your taste or what you have in your pantry and fridge. You can swap the green vegetables or add some extras - such spinach, broad beans, courgette, asparagus, kale, spring onions and so on. I normally add a piece of ginger to it too , which makes it more healthy! If you like spicy food - add one red chilli pepper to the cooking soup or serve it with chilli flakes.

Ingredients

8 pieces of chicken (legs, wings etc)
1 onion
1 clove of garlic
3 cm piece of ginger ( optional)
2 carrots
2 pieces of different root vegetables ( such as parsnip, swede, turnip, sweet potato)
2 or 3 stock cubes ( chicken & vegetable)
150g French beans or broccoli rosettes ( or other green vegetables)
1 cup of green peas
small bunch of parsley or tarragon (optional)

Instructions

Peel the root vegetables - but don't chop them up!
Rinse the chicken pieces and put them in a large pot. Add about 1-1.5 litre of water. Peel the onion and garlic, add these to the water (as whole). Heat it up. When the soup is about to boil, using a mesh sieve, skim off the scum that accumulates on the surface ( keep the liquid at a simmer!).
When the surface is clear, add the carrots and the other root vegetables (& the ginger if used) then bring to the boil.
Turn down the heat, put a lid on and gently cook for 30-45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the broccoli, beans and the herbs (tied) and, cook for another 5 minutes. Add the green peas ( or spinach/kale) and cook for another 5 minutes.
Remove the herbs and the onion. Chop the vegetables before serving.

Tips

In Chinese medicine chicken soup is used as a remedy against colds and the flu. Its effectiveness is attributed to the combination of chicken, ginger, garlic &chili. So if you have a cold, do add the ginger and some chili too!!