- Prep time
- 50
- Cook time
- 40
- Skill level
- Low
- Serves
- 6-8
I can't tell you how many times I've made this soup in recent months.
Its presence on my stove has been an antidote to feeling poorly, as well as the seemingly early arrival of winter in my corner of the world.
When you're low or cold (or both), few sights and smells are more cheering than a pot of brothy soup with chunky-cut vegetables.
This recipe uses carrots and parsnips, as they're favourites in my house, but you're welcome to use other root vegetables in their place (see tips below for ideas).
I like to serve this soup with a thick slice of buttered sourdough, while my children prefer their bowls to be filled with noodles, topped off with a little broth and some carrots. Serve it how you wish, and may it soothe and warm you and yours.
Tips:
- When selecting chicken broth for the recipe, ideally choose one you enjoy the flavour of, as this will make a big difference to the overall taste of this broth-based soup. The broth (or stock) doesn't have to be homemade; there are many good store-bought powders and liquids on the market.
- You can swap the carrots and parsnips for other root vegetables (ie potatoes in place of parsnips, or sweet potatoes in place of carrots). This will change the feel of the soup but that's OK. Work with what you have and make it your own.
- Add greens if you wish, with finely chopped broccoli or frozen peas added in the final minutes of cooking. Alternatively, you can top the soup off with additional herbs such as chopped coriander leaves.
- You can serve the soup with noodles by cooking your chosen noodles al dente and serving them into bowls, before ladling soup over the top.
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Ingredients
Method
- 1.Start by marinating the chicken. Place the diced chicken in a large container with ⅓ of the leek, 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1 teaspoon salt. Stir well, cover, then leave to sit for 30 minutes (you can leave the chicken for longer if you wish, just store it in the fridge, bringing it out shortly before cooking).
- 2.Place ¼ cup of oil in a large, heavy-based pot and warm over low heat. Add the remaining ⅔ of the leek along with ½ teaspoon salt and stir. Cook the leek for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft, fragrant and sticky-looking.
- 3.Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the carrots, parsnips, parsley stalks and another ½ teaspoon salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring regularly, to help soften the carrots and parsnip.
- 4.Turn the heat off, remove the vegetable mixture from the pot into a large bowl and set aside.
- 5.Turn the heat back on to medium-high and, once hot, add the marinated chicken and leek mixture to the pot. Cook for around 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the chicken to colour but not cook through.
- 6.Add the vegetable mixture back into the pot, along with the broth and 2 cups of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for around 10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (the length of time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces). At this point, you can remove the chicken pieces and shred them into smaller bites if you wish. You can also add the optional broccoli or peas.
- 7.Allow the soup to cook for 5 more minutes, or until the vegetables are tender enough for your liking. If serving with noodles, place the cooked noodles into bowls. Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped parsley leaves.