Well it’s certainly soup weather!
And do I have a soup for you….it’s this simple, nutritious chicken one and Louella, the little cutie pie eating it here (those eyes! That grip on those crayons!) will join me in testifying to its deliciousness.
A couple of months ago I spent a day with Hannah Plummer (we did a 1:1 photography/content workshop together). On wrapping up, Hannah her beautiful little girl Louella and I sat down to a bowl each of this chicken soup. Man it was good.
And because she’s a generous person, Hannah has shared the recipe with us here.
I hope everyone is holding up okay in this crazy weather, staying dry and away flood waters, hairy roads and all the rest. If it’s not one thing it’s another!
Hannah’s Chicken Soup
I LOVE chicken broth. I make it frequently to have on hand in the fridge to add to any savoury dish that requires liquid, to have on its own as a nourishing cup of broth or as the star of my family’s favourite dinner, this nourishing, delicious chicken soup!
I am not one to follow a recipe, hence the very casual wording! I hope you try and enjoy it too. Hannah x
Broth:
Warm a large stainless steel stock pot gently on the stove (10L is a great size). Alternatively a cast iron pot or slow cooker would work well.
20g butter
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 brown onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 whole, pasture-raised chook (I source mine from Carbeen Pastured Produce)
2 extra chicken carcasses (optional, order from your chook supplier or ask your butcher)
Bonus points if you can add 2-4 chicken feet for extra gelatinous goodness!
Heat the butter in the base of a big stainless steel stock pot (10L is a good size) or a cast iron pot or slow cooker. Sauté the garlic and onion gently over medium heat for about five minutes.
Now increase the heat and add the whole chicken, browning lightly front and back. Add the extra chicken carcasses and chicken feet if you have them. Now fill your pot with cold water and cover with a lid.
If your oven can fit it, put the whole pot in there on low heat (110C) and leave for 3-4 hours. Otherwise cook on the lowest heat your hot plate can manage or set your slow cooker to low for 5-6 hours.
The low temperature maintains the integrity of the gelatinous goodness extracted from the bones.
After 3 hours or once the meat is falling off the bone, take the time to remove the meat from the chicken. Keep the meat aside (in the fridge) and return the carcass to the pot. Return to that lovely low heat and cook for another three hours or so.
Strain the stock, discard the bones and add approximately 1 teaspoon of quality, unrefined salt for each litre of water. This is the messy part but it’s all so worth it! Now you have a beautiful, nutritious broth ready to sip on its own, use in any dish that needs liquid added or best of all for this soup…
Putting it all together as a soup:
To your warmed broth, add shredded chicken, zucchini noodles and herbs to taste. Enjoy! We do.
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