I sometimes work weird hours waitressing and end up having the weirdest meal times so it’s not too unusual for me to eat by myself. Even if I eat alone, I will always try to make an effort to make something nice for myself. One of my favourite things to have is freshly made soup made from whatever vegetables and meat I have in the fridge or freezer. This chicken and vegetable soup is one I probably do most frequently.

 

This is a basic, anything goes kind of a recipe, you could add pretty much anything you like to it. What really makes this soup work is a good, flavoursome chicken stock, so make sure to use a quality one, preferably home-made. I buy bulk chicken frames at the local butcher for a few dollars and every few weeks or so make a big batch to keep handy in the freezer in takeaway containers. It makes nutritious, tasty meals so easy and quick to prepare.

 

This is my standard version of it, I actually prefer it without onion or garlic but of course you can add them if you like:

 

1 Chicken Drumstick

2 Cups of Chicken Stock

 

Half a Carrot

Half a Celery Stick

Half a Baby Fennel Bulb

 

2 teaspoons of Butter

Olive Oil to Drizzle

Parsley to Garnish

Sea Salt and black pepper to Season

 

 

Asparagus, green beans, corn, peas, baby spinach, kale, parsnip, potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, turnip, brussel sprouts, cabbage, beetroot, fresh tomato, zucchini, zucchini flowers, canned tomato, canned beans, grains, pasta, noodles, parmesan, garlic/onion/leek/bacon (make sure to cook these ones a bit first in butter before adding liquid), lemon juice

 

 

 

1. Bring Stock to boil in saucepan and add chicken. Reduce heat to simmer, cover a bit with a lid and cook for 25mins.

2. Meanwhile prepare and cut the vegetables into 1cm (1/3 inch cubes).

3. Add any vegetables  to the saucepan that need to be cooked in last few minutes – I cook carrots for about 3mins – potatoes, broad beans or kale you’ll need to cook for about 7mins (possibly more), parsnip or green beens 5mins, asparagus no more than 1 1/2 minutes. I don’t like to cook the vegetables for very long when I do this so that they retain freshness and texture, but of course you could cook them for a lot longer.

4. Remove saucepan from heat and take out chicken to rest.

5. Add butter and pour hot soup over remaining veggies that didn’t need much cooking.

6. Pull meat away from drumstick and slice into bite size pieces.

7. Add chicken to soup, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with parsley.

Season to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you like this simple and quick lunch idea :)