Nourishing Chicken & Vegetable Soup

There is nothing that says winter like a hearty bowl of nourishing chicken and vegetable soup. This soup is paced full of healing nutrients that support a healthy gut and immune system and can also help fend off those nasty bugs during the colder months. A great weeknight easy tea on a cold evening and a great way to get extra vegetables into the kids and your diet. Try blending the soup down if you have smaller children so its more pureed and more palatable.

Serves 8

Soup Ingredients:

• 1 whole organic chicken – rinse well with cold water inside and out
• 1/4 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil  
• 6 cloves of garlic- smashed 
• 1 large brown onion diced or 1 leek finely chopped
• 3 medium carrots cut into small discs 
• 3 large celery stalk diced
• 1 swede 1cm diced pieces
• 1 turnip 1cm diced pieces
• 1 parsnip 1cm diced pieces
• 1 teaspoon of dried oregano or thyme
• 2 cups of baby kale finely chopped. Stalks removed
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt + pepper 
• Freshly chopped parsley and parmesan cheese to serve 
  
  

Chicken Broth Ingredients:

• 1 litre of Free Range chicken stock
• 500ml Chicken Bone Broth
• You can use water if you prefer
  
  

Method:

1. In a large ceramic or copper pot on the stove add in olive oil to the base of the pot on medium heat.
2. Place in leek and garlic and cook till slightly translucent around 5 minutes.
3. Now add in remaining vegetables and herbs and toss till they are braised around 8-10 minutes.
4. Sit the whole chicken on top of the vegetables in the pot and add in the stock and bone broth till the chicken is slightly covered in the liquid.
5. Bring to the boil and simmer the chicken for around 45 mins until chicken is cooked and falling off the bone. 
6. If any fat is sitting on the top of broth once cooked, skim off and discard. (This shouldn’t happen with organic chicken.
7. Once cool enough to handle. Remove and shred all the chicken and discard the caucus.
8. Now add the chicken back into the soup mixture and top up with any remaining stock if it has evaporated.
9. Now add the kale and cook until wilted.
10. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Once all vegetables are cooked through, serve.
12. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and parsley and enjoy!