Sometimes you want a dinner that is like a hug from the inside and this chicken soup is it. Chicken soup is a well loved favourite around the globe and each culture has their own gorgeous version. Thickened with red lentils, full of vegetables and protein, this is my version of comfort in a bowl.
Soup is not a difficult meal to make and I find a constant stirring can be almost meditative at the end of a long day. This chicken soup is perfect for those nights when you want to lean against the bench top and stir. Kitchen chats are optional, as is a glass of wine, but the aromas are seductive and the method is simple.
I lighten my soup with a little coconut cream, however I wouldn’t open a whole can specifically for the recipe. A little milk or sour cream provides the same sense of luxury; but if I have none this chicken soup remains divine.
My Canadian likes to tear bread into chunks and leave it in the soup to soak up the flavours. I save my bread for cleaning the bowl at the end. How do you take yours?
Ingredients
- 200gm bacon lardons
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1/2 brown onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 leek, thinly sliced
- 450gm boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp fresh thyme or parsley, chopped
- 1/2 cup red lentils
- 500ml vegetable stock
- 500ml water
- Pinch of salt
- 1/4 cup coconut cream, milk or sour cream - optional
Instructions
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pot on medium to high heat. Add bacon and cook for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add onion, carrots, celery and leek. Stir, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are just tender. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt. Add to pot with thyme, lentils, stock, water and salt and bring to a simmer while stirring. Reduce heat to low, cover and gently poach the chicken for 15-20 minutes until cooked, and lentils are tender. Remove the chicken from the soup, shred into chunks and return to the soup. Stir through the coconut cream, garnish with fresh herbs and serve with crusty bread. A round of fresh cracked pepper is divine,
