classic chicken soup base
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 brown onion, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 stalks celery, trimmed and chopped
- 200g thinly sliced flat pancetta, chopped
- 1 x 1.6kg whole chicken
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 3 litres water
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and pancetta. Cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes or until the vegetables are just tender.
- Add the chicken, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves and water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the stock and allow to cool slightly. Shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones, and set aside.
- Strain the stock into a large heatproof bowl, discarding the solids. Allow to cool. Skim any excess fat from the surface. Makes 1 quantity
TIPS:
You can freeze the chicken stock in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it to use in soups, sauces, risottos and curries. Use the tender shredded chicken in anything from soups to sandwiches.
Use this classic chicken soup base to create the following recipe variations:
Italian-style chicken, cavolo nero and butter bean soup - click here to view
chicken and vegetable noodle soup - click here to view
creamy chicken and corn chowder - click here to view
Photography: William Meppem
Cat G
Thankyou Donna for this recipe because it used a whole chicken which adds more flavour, meat and cost effective compared to using chicken bones alone.
I altered the recipe by using only whole chicken, carrots, celery incl leaves, leek and fennel seeds. Thankyou so much
© DONNA HAY GROUP
