Hearty Chicken Soup and Green Minestrone
These delicious, nutritious soups are chock full of vegetables.
These delicious, nutritious winter soups are chock full of vegetables. Both can be made ahead of time and reheated (you may need to add extra stock). In the minestrone, you can swap the kale for silverbeet or chard.
Hearty chicken soup
2 tablespoons olive oil | 2 brown onions, chopped | 2 large carrots, sliced | 2 sticks celery, trimmed, sliced | 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped | 1 teaspoon thyme leaves | 2 litres chicken stock | 1kg boned chicken thighs, skin removed | 1 zucchini, diced | 1 bunch spinach, chopped | ¾ cup frozen peas | ¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic; cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes, or until softened. Add thyme and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and add to saucepan along with zucchini, spinach and peas. Return to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Season to taste and serve sprinkled with parsley. Serves 6
Green minestrone
1 bunch kale, rinsed | 2 tablespoons olive oil | 2 cloves garlic, chopped | 2 sticks celery, trimmed, sliced | 1 carrot, chopped | 1 large onion, chopped | 1 x 400g can cannellini beans, rinsed | 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary | 1.5 litres vegetable stock | Handful baby spinach leaves | Flat-leaf parsley, to garnish | Grated parmesan, to serve
Cut stems from kale and discard; slice leaves into bite-size pieces. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, carrot, onion and cook until tender, stirring. Add beans, kale, rosemary and stock. Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Add spinach (and some extra stock if it looks too thick) and cook for a further 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flat-leaf parsley and serve with grated parmesan. Serves 4-6