Leftover chicken soup
“I could live off of soup!” I declared, happily scooping my dinner in a bowl
“What about eggs?” Asked Boyfriend, from the table.
“And eggs” I admitted
“And cappelletti?” He continued
“Yes, yes and cappelletti..” …
“And butter?”
“Okok fine!” Bothered, I stomped off to the table.
Soup is one of my favourite things. In winter, in autumn, but also in summer. Cold soup is delightful, and I have loads of interesting recipes for seafood and fish soups. But your here for a leftover chicken soup, and this is how I made it.
Start from the concept that two people can’t finish a whole chicken, but that a whole chicken can feed you for up to five meals. Then buy a chicken and roast it. When you’ve eaten your fill, take all the meat you can find on the bird and set it aside. That marvelous juice that is in the pan? Put it in a tall container and in a cold place to cool off.
When the liquid cools, the fat will have set in a lighter layer above the actual cooking juices and you’ll be able to scoop it off with a spoon. Which you should do, because chicken fat isn’t easy to digest.
Start heating a pan on the stove and add a tiny tiny bit of olive oil. At this point, creativity is your friend! For this recipe I only used leek and carrots (because we had just come back from a trip and I had no food) but garlic, onion, celery et al are you allies. Chop the veggies up and let them simmer for 3/4 mins in the oil. Then, add the chicken juices and half a glass of water.
Spices are excellent in soups. When I make broth I use cloves, coriander, black white and pink pepper, and sometimes cardamom. This time, since the soup was not going to be strained, I just used ground pepper and coriander seeds.
Let your veggies boil until soft, then add chunks of leftover chicken. When the soup had returned to a boil, taste for seasoning and add whatever pasta you’re inclined to eat and wait until it’s cooked.
Et voilà! Some people like a sprinkle of lemon right at the end, when you’re plating the dish. I certainly do!
Let me know in the comments below or on my facebook post if you liked the soup and what your version was.
Together with Nicole Duplaix, Chair of the IUCN-SSC Otter Specialist Group , I wrote a book all about otters and how wonderful they are. Check it out We Love Otters
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