Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Serves 8
Cooking time 2 hours

Making your own stock for this soup really makes a difference, it isn't hard just takes a bit of time. The chicken from the stock is tender and moist, I freeze left over soup for those nights when time has slipped by and I still want something tasty yet healthy on the table.

Ingredients
Stock
1.6 kg chicken
3 litres water
1 onion roughly chopped
2 carrots roughly chopped
2 stalks celery roughly chopped
3 sprigs parsley
1 tbs chicken stock powder
Soup
3 tbs butter
1/2 cup flour
1 leek finely chopped
4 cloves garlic crushed
3 cups mixed vegetable chopped roughly the same size
salt and pepper to taste

Method

For the stock add all the ingredients to a large pot bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Skim any residue that may form on the top, discard vegetables and put the chicken on a plate to cool slightly.

In a large pot heat the butter with 1 tbs of olive oil (this prevents the butter from burning) saute the leek and garlic for 1 minute.
Add the flour and cook for a further minute.
Add the stock whisking all the time so there are no lumps
Add the root vegetables first such as carrots and parsnips
The add the remaining vegetable and shredded chicken.
Simmer for 20 minutes taste for seasoning.

Sometimes I add tiny pasta shells to the soup. In this soup I used carrots, parsnips, broccoli, zucchini and fresh peas, but use what you have in your fridge.