Hairy Bikers Chicken Soup Recipe
The Hairy Bikers Chicken Soup Recipe is warm, comforting and full of simple goodness.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken or 1 kg chicken pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 3 carrots sliced
- 2 celery sticks chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 liters water
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 1 handful fresh parsley chopped
- 100 g noodles or rice optional
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
Prepare the chicken
- Wash the chicken pieces well. Pat them dry with paper towels before cooking.
Heat the oil
- Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until warm.
Sauté the onion
- Add chopped onion. Cook until soft, golden and lightly sweet in smell.
Add garlic
- Add minced garlic. Stir for one minute until fragrant but not burnt.
Add vegetables
- Add carrots and celery. Stir gently. Cook for five minutes until slightly soft.
Add chicken
- Place chicken pieces into the pot. Stir to coat with vegetables and oil.
Season the soup
- Add salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Mix gently to spread flavors.
Add water
- Pour water into the pot. Make sure chicken is fully covered.
Add stock cube
- Add chicken stock cube. Stir well until it dissolves into the water.
Bring to boil
- Bring soup to a gentle boil. Skim foam from top if needed.
Simmer slowly
- Lower heat. Let soup simmer gently for 40 minutes.
Remove chicken
- Take chicken out. Let it cool slightly before shredding.
Shred the meat
- Remove skin and bones. Shred chicken into soft bite-sized pieces.
Return chicken
- Add shredded chicken back into the soup pot gently.
Add noodles or rice
- Add noodles or rice if using. Cook until soft and tender.
Taste and adjust
- Taste soup. Add more salt or pepper if needed.
Add parsley
- Stir in fresh parsley for color and fresh flavor.
Rest the soup
- Turn off heat. Let soup rest for five minutes before serving.
Remove bay leaf
- Remove bay leaf carefully before serving the soup.
Serve warm
- Serve hot with lemon wedges and fresh bread on the side.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken for richer broth.
- Skim foam for clear soup.
- Add ginger for cold and flu relief.
- Add turmeric for natural healing power.
- Use brown rice for healthy fiber.
- Add sweet corn for mild sweetness.
- Add spinach for extra nutrients.
- Use fresh herbs for better flavor.
- Add chili flakes for gentle heat.
- Slow cook for deeper taste.