Lemony chicken meatball soup with chickpeas & thyme

SERVES 2- 4

This is the ultimate bowl of comfort!

MEATBALLS

4 chicken thighs, deboned

and skinned

½ cup fresh breadcrumbs

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, plus a handful extra, ripped, to serve

½ tsp lemon zest

SOUP

2 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 litre salt- reduced chicken

stock (see tip) 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped

½ tsp lemon zest

Salt and pepper, to season

1 x 400g tin chickpeas,

drained well

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 For the meatballs, run the chicken meat through a food processor until minced, but not a paste. Transfer to a bowl and mix all the remaining meatball ingredients together. Roll into 12-16 balls. Refrigerate for half an hour.

2 For the soup, sauté the carrot and celery in the oil in a large saucepan. Add the stock and simmer until the vegetables are al dente – about 5-7 minutes. Add the thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

3 Bring the stock to the boil and add the chicken meatballs. Simmer until the chicken meatballs float to the surface and are cooked through.

With a slotted spoon, remove the meatballs to serving bowls. Add the chickpeas to the stock and simmer to heat through – about 1-2 minutes. Gently stir in the lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper to taste.

4 Ladle the liquid and beans over the meatballs, then scatter with parsley to serve.