Lj’s Immunity Chicken Soup

Another bloody chicken soup recipe! There must be thousands upon thousands. This is but one that we make, for the purpose of a cheap family meal that can be stretched for unexpected extra dinner guests, often has enough for leftovers, and a bones to make soup stock for your next batch of soup.

Ingredients:

  • 1 x whole chicken (free range or

  • organic if possible)

  • 4 x thick slices fresh ginger

  • Root veggies to taste, such as:

  • carrots, celery, shitake mushrooms

  • salt to taste

Optional extras:

  • 1 tblsp Shaoxing rice wine, 1tsp sesame oil and/or 1 tblsp

  • tamari/soy sauce

  • 1 x herbal soup pack – if you can’t access this, fear not – your soup will be damn fine and super healthful just on its own.

  • Cooked rice/noodles to serve

Method:

  1. Place chicken in a large stainless steel pot and cover chicken water to fully submerge and bring to the boil.

  2. While waiting for the pot to boil, rinse soup pack herbs in cold water to awaken them.

  3. Once the chicken has boiled, continue boiling for approximately one minute.

  4. Discard the cooking water and rinse the chicken briefly to remove any foam – for clearer soup, remove skin and any obvious areas of fat.

  5. Prepare approximately 2 litres of boiling water, and add the chicken, rinsed herbs, ginger, vegetables and any other aromatics.

  6. Bring back to the boil, reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer partially covered for approximately 40 mins (until chicken is cooked, juices will run clear).

  7. Remove the chicken (continue to simmer the soup stock). Once it is cool enough to handle, shred meat and carefully place the chicken frame back into the pot, and continue simmering for 1-2 hours, adding water as needed.

  8. To serve: serve chicken and vegetables with cooked rice or noodles, adding strained soup stock and seasoning to taste. Remaining soup stock can be stored in the fridge for a few days or frozen for future use.