Slow-cooked Chicken and Leek Soup

A nourishing chicken and leek soup that the whole family would love. It comes with prunes and cayenne pepper for a surprisingly refreshing twist.

Yield: Serves 6
Prep Time: 30 mins
Cook Time: 510 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5

Ingredients

• 1.2 whole chicken
• 2 clove garlic, sliced thinly
• 4 medium leeks (1.4 kg), sliced thinly
• 2 stalks celery (300 g), trimmed, sliced thinly
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 large pinch cayenne pepper
• 2.5 litre (10 cups) chicken stock
• 1 cup (170 g) seeded prunes
• 2 tbsps coarsely chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tbsps coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Steps

01. Place chicken, garlic, leek, celery, thyme, cayenne pepper and 2 litres of the stock in a 4.5-litre (18-cup) slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low, about 8 hours.

02. Carefully remove chicken from cooker; discard skin and bones. Shred meat coarsely using two forks.

03. Return chicken to cooker with prunes and remaining stock. Cook, covered, on high, for 30 minutes or until prunes soften and stock is hot. Discard thyme; season to taste.

04. Stir oregano and parsley into soup to serve.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au