Spring Vegetable Chicken Soup
A clear, pretty soup that celebrates all the goodness of springtime: peas, asparagus, broad beans, herbs and baby carrots, with extra crunch and nuttiness from the sprouts. This soup was a favourite on the Cornersmith menu.
Ingredients 18
For The Chicken Stock
1 free-range chicken, 1.2-1.6kg, cut into 4 pieces
2 onions, large, peeled, cut in half
2 carrots, small, peeled, cut in half
4 stalks celery, cut into 5 cm (2 in) lengths
1 bulb garlic, cut in half crossways
5 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
1⁄2 bunch parsley, stalks only
5 berries allspice
3 cloves
15 black peppercorns
For The Spring Greens
175 g broad beans, podded
3 baby carrots, very thinly sliced
4 asparagus spears, thinly sliced
2 cm ginger, knob, cut into fine julienne strips
155 g peas, podded
2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp chives, finely chopped
60 g sprouts, optional
Your new home
for cooking
Turn your recipe chaos into a plan for the week.
Browse 1000+ inspiring creator recipes
Unlimited recipe import from social media, blogs and more
Generate shopping lists and meal plans in seconds with AI
Method 17
For The Chicken Stock
For the stock, preheat the oven to 180°C and line a roasting tin with baking paper. Season the pieces with salt, then place in the prepared tin and roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
Discard the fat from the tray, then transfer the to a large saucepan or stockpot, cover with cold water and add a couple of pinches of salt.
Bring to a simmer over low heat, skimming off any froth from the surface.
Meanwhile, cut the and in halves, then cut the sticks into 5cm lengths, and the bulb of in half crossways.
Tie the , and into a little bundle with string and add to the stock pot, along with the , , , , , and .
If necessary, add more water to cover everything well, then bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1½ hours, skimming occasionally and adding more water as needed.
Lift the pieces out of the stock and, when they are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.
Tear one of the into small strips and set aside for the soup.
Cover the rest of the meat with a little stock and keep for later use - it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For The Spring Greens
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and blanch the for 2 minutes, then refresh under cold running water and drain.
Double-peel the by pressing them gently between your fingers - the bright-green beans should slip out of the greyish skins.
Thinly slice the and , finely julienne the , and pod the . Finely chop the parsley leaves and .
To Assemble The Soup
Strain the stock into a clean pan, discarding the herbs, spices and vegetables.
Place over low-medium heat, add the and and simmer for about 2-3 minutes.
Next add the , and and simmer for 3-5 minutes until all the vegetables are just tender.
Finally, add the chicken breast meat to gently warm through. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
Serve the soup straight away in warmed soup bowls, garnished with the chopped , and , if using.
Cornersmith's tips
Roasting the chicken first gives the soup a deeper flavour and a golden colour – get your butcher to cut the chicken into quarters, and ask for some extra chicken bones to roast for even more flavour, if you like. The left-over chicken meat can be used in a sandwich, or tossed through a slaw. If you have any soup left over, freeze the clear, strained stock, minus the vegetables. Stock is always a good thing to have in the freezer.
