Chicken soup

This is a great recipe for using up cooked chicken leftover from a roast. Allow the chicken to cool, then work your way around the bird, stripping off the skin and removing the bones to gather as much meat as possible. Even parts that might be a little dry or tougher when cold – such as the drumsticks – are perfect for reheating in a soup. And don’t forget to take any meat from under the bird too – especially the two tender ‘oysters’ from each side of the chicken near the thighs. Once the meat has been stripped, the chicken carcass can be used to make stock. The meat should be covered, stored in the fridge and eaten within 2 days. Don’t worry if you don’t have quite enough chicken as recommended for this soup, it will still be delicious.

If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can add fresh chicken breast or thighs to the soup instead. Roast in the oven before cooking for the best results. Adding raw chicken to the soup is likely to produce a foam on the surface of the soup caused by the release of protein as the chicken cooks. It’s nothing to worry about and can be skimmed off with a large spoon as the soup simmers. If using raw chicken, pick boneless, skinless chicken thigh fillets, as they won’t dry out in the same way as chicken breasts might, and cut each one into small pieces before adding to the soup. Ensure the chicken is thoroughly cooked before serving.

If you are really short of time, you can also use cooked rotisserie-style chicken, or pre-roasted chicken breasts, for making the soup but it’s likely to be a more expensive option.

Ideally use fresh chicken stock for this soup – preferably homemade – but a couple of stock cubes or stock pots also work well. If using stock cubes, you may not need to add any extra salt to season the soup.

If you don’t have fresh herbs, use dried herbs instead – dried mixed herbs are good, or a combination of thyme and sage. If using dried herbs, 1 tsp can be used in place of 1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs. Dried or fresh bay leaves add extra flavour and can be added at the same time as the stock.

You can easily adapt this recipe into a simple chicken stew for one meal by reducing the stock to around 750ml/1¼ pint and cutting the chicken into small chunks. The next day, add extra stock to transform into a soup.

For a more indulgent soup, instead of parsley, add 1 tbsp finely snipped tarragon leaves. A dash or white wine or vermouth will elevate it even further. Top the soup with a drizzle of cream or spoonfuls of crème fraiche and more fresh herbs to garnish.

Adapt this recipe to make the perfect soup to use up leftover turkey at Christmas. Either make a home-made turkey stock with the carcass or use chicken stock. Shred the turkey and add to the liquid along with any fresh herbs you have available. Chopped thyme complements turkey particularly well.

How to freeze

To freeze this chicken soup, pour any leftovers into a large freezer-proof container and leave it to cool. You can set the container in a sink filled with a few centimetres of cold water and a few ice cubes to speed up the cooling process. Once cooled, cover, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a large saucepan over a medium heat until piping hot throughout. Stir often as you reheat the soup and add an extra water until it reaches the right consistency. (You can also freeze the soup in individual portions – perfect for reheating at work if you have access to a microwave.)