Chicken pasta soup recipe

This hearty soup is full of natural goodness and makes a great midweek meal for all the family

"Substantial enough to be a meal in its own right, this soup is chunky, toothsome and full of natural goodness and it will satisfy even the hungriest man. Plus, it’s so delicious that you’ll have him eating out of your hand!"

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

5–6 chicken thighs
1 large white onion, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
4 medium carrots, chopped into small dice
6–8 closed cup mushrooms, quartered
½ red pepper, seeds removed and chopped into small dice
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
600ml chicken stock
175ml white wine
100g frozen sweetcorn (use tinned if you cannot find any frozen)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g pasta shells
Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

Method

Preheat the oven at 190ÚC/gas mark 5. Place the chicken thighs on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 30–40 minutes, until cooked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones before cutting the meat into pieces.
Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat, add the onions and fry for a minute or two before adding the carrots. Cook until the carrots and onions start to soften, about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and red pepper. Mix thoroughly and continue to cook until the mushrooms have shrunk in size and begin to brown.
Next, add the can of tomatoes, chicken stock, wine, sweetcorn and chicken pieces and season well with salt and pepper. Leave to simmer on a low heat, covered, for about 20 minutes.
Add the pasta to the soup and leave to simmer for a further 15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked, stirring occasionally to avoid the pasta sticking to the pan. Once ready, remove from the heat and set aside for half an hour, covered, to allow the flavours to infuse. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the soup, pour into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh coriander.