Although I have already included a recipe on this food blog for Chicken Soup from Scratch (27th May), there are times when the body craves a nutritious soup in RECORD TIME. So when time is of the essence and you want a one-pot-wonder, then Satisfying Speedy Soup is the dish to serve up. It can be on the table within 45 minutes and this includes the initial dicing and slicing of raw ingredients. 

The combination of seasonal fresh veggies, long grain rice and tender chicken with garden-grown parsley is appealing to the eye, flavoursome and easy to eat. Even the youngest child in the family, tired from a busy day at school can manage to scoop spoonfuls into their mouth and feel revived. 

I prepare this dish often in our household, particularly during the cooler months. It is an ideal option for a lazy weekend family lunch, accompanied with oven warmed crusty bread. Best of all, leftover soup can be refrigerated, then heated thoroughly and enjoyed the next day. 

Walking through the door with the aroma of simmering chicken soup wafting through the house has an almost magical, instantly comforting affect on everyone in the family. This is another “go to” recipe that can be made successfully by even the most novice of home cooks. 

Satisfying Speedy Soup to serve 6 adults

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (whatever variety you have in the pantry)
1 large clove of garlic or 2 small cloves
2 large carrots
2 long sticks of celery plus some of the internal light green leaves
2 medium zucchini
1 large parsnip (remove the woody central core)
1 large peeled potato
600 g chicken tenderloins
1 litre chicken stock (I use a low salt commercial chicken stock if I have no home made stock in the freezer)
2 litres water at room temperature
2 heaped teaspoons sea salt
good grind of black pepper
2/3 cup freshly podded peas
handful of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup long grain rice

Wash all of the vegetables well then peel the carrots, celery, zucchini, parsnip and potato. Dice into medium cubes. Finely chop the onion and garlic. On a separate board, dice the chicken tenderloins so that they are the same size as your veggies. 

In a large, deep pot heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and saute the vegetables together over a medium heat for 10 minutes. 

Add the chicken tenderloins and sear until they are opaque which should only take no more than 5 minutes. 

Add the stock, water, salt and pepper and parsley. Clamp on the lid, bring to the boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. 

Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the rice and stir through. Simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes adding the peas at the very end so that they still retain their sweetness and texture. The soup will thicken up as the rice cooks and develop an appealing golden colour. 

Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed before serving.