Name: Creamy chicken & sweetcorn soup
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 celery stick; 1 leek finely sliced; 300ml strong chicken stock; 250g sweetcorn (use fresh or frozen), half of it crushed lightly with a fork; 200g greens (such as spinach or kale), finely sliced; small bunch chives finely snipped; 25g butter; 25g plain flour; 250ml milk; 1 tsp olive oil; 2-3 (depending on size) skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into cubes; 1 skinless chicken breast, cut into cubes; ⅓ onion very finely chopped (optional)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 celery
stick
1 leek
finely sliced
300ml strong chicken stock
250g sweetcorn
(use fresh or frozen), half of it crushed lightly with a fork
200g greens
(such as spinach or kale), finely sliced
small bunch chives
finely snipped

For the chicken base

25g butter
25g plain flour
250ml milk
1 tsp olive oil
2-3 (depending on size) skinless chicken
thigh fillets, cut into cubes
1 skinless chicken
breast, cut into cubes
⅓ onion
very finely chopped (optional)

Method

step 1
For the base, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook for a few mins, stirring all the time. Now, using a whisk or spatula, carefully stir in the milk, a little at a time, making sure the sauce stays smooth. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for a couple of mins until it thickens – it will be very thick. Turn the heat right down and keep cooking for 5 mins, stirring often.
step 2
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry all of the chicken in batches until it starts to colour lightly at the edges. Scoop out each batch of chicken and put it on a plate. Add the onion to the pan if you are using it, and cook over a low heat until soft. Add the chicken and any juices and the onion to the white sauce, fold it in and cook the mixture for a further 15 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. If you're making the base ahead of time, you can leave it to cool at this stage then freeze in an airtight container for up to a month. (Defrost fully before using in the next step.)
step 3
Heat oil in a pan, add the celery and leek, then fry them gently until completely soft. Stir in the chicken base and stock and bring the mixture to a simmer.
step 4
Add the sweetcorn and cook for 5 mins, then stir in the greens and cook for 1 min. Sprinkle over the chives and serve.