Mandy Hall’s Chicken, Rice & ‘Use It Up’ Soup

Ingredients

2 – 3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion or 1 leek whites, finely chopped
1 carrot finely chopped
3 garlic cloves finely chopped or crushed
1 tspn curry powder or cumin, or garam masala
*4 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
*2 litres of chicken stock
*optional 1 chicken stock cube
5 stalks of parsley, remove leaves & roughly chop to use later, add stalks to the pot
Salt and pepper to season
½ cup of uncooked white rice (use standard white rice)
½ to 1 ½ cups each of any vegetables you have on hand diced or small chunks, I have used pumpkin, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, spinach…

Method

In a large pot, heat oil over a medium heat. Add onions & carrots & cook, stirring occasionally for 4-5 minutes, add garlic and cook for 1 minute, add curry powder and chicken to the pot and cook whilst turning over the chicken for approximately 3-4 minutes.

Increase heat and add chicken stock to the pot (stock cube also, if using), parsley stalks and salt and pepper, bring to the boil then turn down to a simmer and cook for 20-30 minutes.

Remove chicken pieces from the pot and set aside. Add rice and all extra vegetables to the pot (except spinach if you are using), remove skin from the chicken pieces and remove the meat from the bone, return the chicken meat to the pot and continue to cook for 15 minutes.

Stir gently and occasionally to ensure that the rice is not sticking to the bottom, whilst cooking, if you notice the soup is becoming too thick, add some additional water, a little at a time.

Remove the parsley stalks, stir through the parsley leaves. Turn off heat and serve with crusty bread, if you’re feeling a little naughty, smear that bread with the best butter you can afford!

TIPS & NOTES
*I use chicken thighs with bone in purely because I prefer the flavour, you can use skinless & boneless if you prefer.
*If you are using home-made stock, you might not need the stock cube.

Prep time: 15-20mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Serves: 6 people