Home made chicken soup has a restorative effect  – it is nourishing, warming and comforting. It can be pureed and spooned into the mouths of the littlest babe venturing into the world of solid foods, or served up with crusty bread in deep bowls to older children and adults. Whenever I make this dish, the aroma manages to waft through my house, out the front door and reaches the letterbox. Talk about an inviting welcome to guests!


My version is based on the chicken soups made by my mother and my mother-in-law and I have to say, food always tastes so much better when prepared by someone else with care. Each of their recipes have subtle differences either in the technique, cut of chicken or ratio of ingredients. But they both turn out plentiful pots of full flavoured, feel good soup every time. 

Now I’m not suggesting that we all install a chicken coup, raise plump hens and go through the messy  process of turning them into the evening’s meal. That’s not practical, living in the city. I still remember the intense flavour of my paternal grandmother’s chicken dishes, especially her soup and fried chicken pieces made from her own farm-raised chooks. 

The “from scratch” reference means making stock and then using this as a base for the soup. It is time consuming, and so very worthwhile freezing portions for future use. The other option is hunting around for a local supplier who makes their own traditional stock for sale. Chilcott’s Butchery does this and very well.  I recommend keeping  a couple of litres in the freezer for when the need for soup arises but you are strapped for time. 

When you do have a morning or afternoon at home, then you may like to try my recipe below. Once the stock has been strained, you can cool and then freeze it in 500 ml portions for ease of use. Or turn it into what we had for dinner this evening – a substantial chicken and vegetable soup with semolina pasta and oven warmed sourdough. 

Chicken Stock

Ingredients
1 x 1.8 kg free range or organic chicken cut into 6 pieces or 2 kg plump chicken wings
1 x large onion (brown or white) cut in half
6 cloves garlic
3 – 4 dried bay leaves
2 x long sticks of celery with the soft green leaves attached and cut into quarters
good grind of black pepper
4 teaspoons sea salt
cold water
extra virgin olive oil

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a very large pot that can comfortably accommodate all the ingredients. 

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, celery and sauté over a medium heat until they start to become glossy – about 10 minutes. Add the chicken pieces or chicken wings and brown seasoning with the salt and pepper. 

Pour in COLD water until it completely covers the chicken pieces and fill until about 3 cm away from the top of the pot. It’s important to add cold water, not warm or hot, otherwise the soup will end up with a large amount of grey-white scum and have a murky appearance. 

Cover with the lid and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat to low, skim off any scum that rises to the surface and simmer for 2 hours. Slightly move the lid to the side just a fraction so that excess heat can escape and to prevent the liquid from bubbling over. 

Strain the soup into a clean pot or bowl using a colander. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. The chicken stock is ready!

Chicken Soup to serve 8 people as a main meal

1 x quantity of chicken stock as above
3 x large sweet carrots 
2 x long sticks of celery 
2 x medium parsnips
2 x small or 1 x large zucchini
4 medium potatoes (peeled)
1 x tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 x cups small semolina pasta  (I used hand rolled, dried fusilli)
extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in large pot and add all of the vegetables which have been diced into 2 cm pieces. Sauté for about 10 minutes. 

Add the chicken stock and the chopped chicken meat. 

Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Then add the pasta and cook for another 10 minutes. Add the parsley. Season if needed. 

Ladle into deep bowls and serve with either warm, crusty bread or rounds of garlic bread. This quantity allows for second servings all round.