The weather is changing, the world is changing so I feel the need for comfort in a bowl of chicken alphabetti soup. Covid-19 has taken over the world and isolation is key; as is looking after one and other. I am learning to adjust to working from home and with my Canadian. It’s not an easy feat; we both have very different jobs, expectations and even very different at home set-ups. We’re taking it a day at time and learning a lot about boundaries. We are enjoying shared coffees and lunches at the same time. This recipe has come from a place of necessity. We bought a chicken to share for a lovely dinner with friends, but unfortunately with the Covid-19 lockdown in place, we have had come up with more creative ideas.
This chicken alphabetti soup is best made with shredded roast chicken. Yes, we had a roast dinner for two the other night with a whole chicken. But in the spirit of using what is available, this soup became a gorgeous midweek dinner. Many find soup to be a lazy, uninspiring dish that lacks in complexity and interest. This one is not the case. It does require a good quality stock – one that has bubbled away until rich and luscious. You need the umami, the gelatine from the bones and the ultimate savoury hit from a long cooked stock. But from there, you need to keep the veggies light and the alphabetti true.
Alphabetti is my favourite small pasta – shaped into tiny letters, there is something rather fun about having a soup filled with potential words. Risoni and orzo pasta are lovely substitutes and in the midst of this global pandemic, more likely to be found than their larger pasta cousins like penne. I recommend cooking the pasta separately and serve in soup bowls, ladling hot flavourful soup over the top. Best to slightly undercook the pasta as it will keep cooking in the hot broth.
For the veggies, I used what was at hand. For us that meant pumpkin, leek, basil from the garden and some diced zucchini. Kumara is also a lovely addition, as is spinach. But keep it light and fresh for delicious results.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 leek, sliced
- 4x garlic cloves, squashed and roughly sliced
- 1/2 butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced
- 2x zucchini, sliced
- 1/2 roast chicken, meat pulled from the bones
- 2 litres good quality chicken stock
- 100gm alphabetti or small pasta shape
- 1x handful fresh basil, sliced
- Ground pepper to season
Instructions
In a large heavy based saucepan, melt a tablespoon of butter over a medium heat. Add the sliced leeks, garlic and gently cook for 5 minutes. Add the diced pumpkin, zucchini and cook for another five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken, stir through until everything is combined. Gently add the stock and bring to a rolling simmer. Leave to bubble away for an hour until everything is cooked through and the flavours have combined.
In a seperate pot, cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Drain and place spoonfuls into each serving bowl. Ladle over the soup, sprinkle over the fresh basil and grind a little pepper. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of parmesan if you are so inclined.
