Chicken soup with spring veg & pasta

 

Ingredients

• olive oil
• 1 large onion , peeled and chopped
• 1 leek , trimmed and sliced
• 2 stalks of celery , sliced
• 2 carrots , peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 courgettes , roughly chopped
• 100 g orzo
• 50 g frozen peas
• 200 g cooked chicken , shredded
• a small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Chicken stock:
• 1 chicken carcass and bones
• 1 large onion , peeled and quartered
• 2 carrots , scrubbed
• 2 stalks of celery
• 5 black peppercorns
• a handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley , (optional)

Method

Recipe by the Chiappa sisters

To prepare the stock, place all of the ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover with 3 litres of cold water, then season with a little salt. Bring to the boil over a medium heat, skimming any froth off the surface with a spoon. Cover with a lid, lower the heat and simmer slowly for 3 hours. Strain the broth through a sieve, discarding the solids, then leave it to cool.

To make your soup, add a splash of oil to another large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add all the vegetables, except the peas, and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in the orzo, pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 8–10 minutes, until the veg are cooked and orzo is soft, then stir in the peas and chicken until heated through. Season to taste.

Divide the soup between bowls, top with the herbs, and serve.