Name: Chicken, sweetcorn & noodle soup
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 large carrots chopped; 2 large leeks trimmed and finely sliced; 2 corn on the cobs, corn kernels cut off; 200g vermicelli noodles; small bunch parsley finely chopped; 2 onions quartered; 1 leek cut into chunks; 2 carrots thickly sliced; 2 bay leaves; 6 black peppercorns; parsley stalks; 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped; 2 tbsp low-sodium vegetable bouillon or 1 vegetable stock cube; 1.3kg chicken

2 large carrots
chopped
2 large leeks
trimmed and finely sliced
2 corn
on the cobs, corn kernels cut off
200g vermicelli
noodles
small bunch parsley
finely chopped

For the stock

2 onions
quartered
1 leek
cut into chunks
2 carrots
thickly sliced
2 bay leaves
6 black peppercorns
parsley
stalks
4 celery
sticks, roughly chopped
2 tbsp low-sodium vegetable bouillon
or 1 vegetable stock cube
1.3kg chicken

Method

step 1
Put all the stock ingredients and the chicken in a very large saucepan, then cover everything with about 3 litres cold water. Bring to the boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 1 hr-1½ hrs, until the chicken is cooked through. Skim off any froth every 20 mins or so. Remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the stock through a sieve, skimming off as much fat as you can.
step 2
Rinse out the pan and put the stock back in, then simmer on a high heat until reduced a little – you need about 2 litres in total. Add the carrots and leeks, then simmer for 10 mins.
step 3
Meanwhile, shred the meat from the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Add to the pan with the sweetcorn. Add the vermicelli noodles, unless you want to freeze the soup, and simmer for about 7 mins more, until the corn and pasta is cooked. Ladle into bowls, sprinkled with the parsley. To freeze, allow the soup to cool completely before freezing (see tip), and when you’re ready to eat, allow the soup to defrost before bringing it back to a gentle simmer in a pan. Add the noodles and simmer until cooked.