Whole chicken and vegetable soup

June 25, 2019

This simple chicken and vegie soup uses a whole chicken.William Meppem

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:6

It might seem scary to boil something hard for such a long time, but this gives you really tender chicken and a more strongly flavoured soup than if you kept it at a simmer.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 brown onion, diced
2 leeks, halved and sliced into 1cm pieces
2 tbsp flour
1 cup tomato passata
1 whole chicken, around 1.6kg
2 bay leaves
a small handful of parsley
2 tsp salt
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes

Method

Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat and add the butter. Fry the carrots, celery, brown onion and leeks for around five minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are fragrant. Add the flour and stir to combine.
Add the tomato passata and about two cups of water, stir, and place the whole chicken into the pot. Add enough water to just cover the chicken. Tie the bay leaves and parsley together into a bouquet garni and add to the pot. Add the salt and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and continue to cook at a rolling boil (not a simmer) for 35 minutes.
Add the potato and continue to cook for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasoning and allow to stand for around 10 minutes before serving.
To serve, shred the chicken with two forks and return the meat to the soup, discarding the bones. I often shred most of the chicken while it's still in the pot, then move the carcass to a bowl and pick away any remaining meat.
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Also try: Adam Liaw's bread and apple pudding
Find more of Adam Liaw's recipes in the Good Food Favourite Recipes cookbook.