Chicken Soup

Ingredients

(serves 6-8)

2 Tbl olive oil
250gm bacon or any cured pork product (smoked pork belly, speck, pancetta etc) - diced
3 brown onions - diced
1 carrot- peeled and diced
2 celery stalks - diced
4 chicken thigh fillets - diced into 2cm pieces
4 cloves of garlic - crushed
1 C dry white wine
4 C chicken stock
400g tinned crushed tomatoes
2 zucchinis - diced
400g tin of cannellini beans - rinsed and drained
1 C of small pasta - risoni, tempesta or soup pasta
50g baby spinach leaves - large stems removed
1-2 Tbl of chopped parsley or basil (whichever you fancy)

Method

Over medium high heat, heat the oil and sauté the bacon for a couple of minutes until slightly coloured.

Add onions, carrots and celery and fry for about 10 minutes or until the veges have softened.

Add chicken and garlic and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is opaque.

Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom and let it simmer for a couple of minutes to reduce. Add the chicken stock and tinned tomatoes, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, stick on the lid and simmer for 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and season to taste with salt, cracked black pepper and sugar (if you wish to counter the acidity of the tomatoes). Add the zucchinis, beans and pasta, mix and simmer with the lid on for about 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is al-dente.

Remove from the heat and stir in the spinach and herbs until wilted. Serve immediately with a hot crusty bread roll and a soul-friendly glass of wine.