IMMUNE BOOSTING SLOW-COOK CHICKEN SOUP

Using chicken soup as a remedy for the flu is as old as the flu itself. With some truly nutritious ingredients, this soup has everything to offer plus amazing flavour. This is a soup to make if you are hanging around at home – it takes a few hours to cook but only about 15 minutes of actual work. Put it on in the morning and let it cook and bubble away all day, filling the house with incredible smells.

Serves 4-6 Free

4 chicken breasts on the bone, with skin on 2 large onions, cut into quarters

4 sticks of celery, cut in quarters

3 carrots, cut into large chunks 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled 4 cloves of garlic, peeled

2 teaspoons turmeric

1 large sprig of parsley

2 bay leaves

5 black peppercorns

2-3 sprigs of thyme

1 chicken stock cube

Plenty of cold water to cover Put everything in a large pot – the bigger the better.

Cover with plenty of cold water – you are going to let this bubble and reduce over the next few hours.

Bring it to the boil then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer.

Half cover it with a lid and leave it cook gently for 4-5 hours.

Keep an occasional eye on it – the water level will reduce a little but it shouldn’t be boiling off altogether. Turn off the heat.

You can leave everything in the pot overnight if you want – the flavours will be even better if they have a day to develop.

When you are ready to eat, let the soup cool a little and then strain the liquid through a strainer into another pot. Save the chicken but discard the vegetables. Pull the chicken meat off the bones and shred it.

Add the chicken stock cube to the liquid and bring to back to the boil to dissolve it. Check if the soup needs more salt or pepper.

Add the shredded chicken back into the pot to heat. Then serve in large bowls with wholemeal crusty roll.

This soup also works well poured over some cooked noodles to make a chicken-and-noodle soup.