CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE SOUP

Table Memories Recipe

Recipe Story

Comforting, nourishing, and full of delicate flavour — this Chicken and Vegetable Soup is the kind of bowl that warms you from the inside out. A slow-simmered broth forms the heart of the dish, rich with caramelised chicken, sweet carrots, soft leeks, and fragrant bay leaves. Tender orzo, bright peas, and fresh dill bring colour and freshness, while a splash of lemon lifts everything with a gentle zing. Finished with optional crème fraîche for extra creaminess, it’s a soup that feels both wholesome and generous — perfect for cosy evenings, family tables, or anytime you crave something truly comforting and full of goodness.

Ingredients

Broth:

  • 1 kg chicken thighs

  • 1 onion, quartered

  • 2 big carrots, peeled and halved

  • 2 big leeks, halved and slit

  • 3 bay leaves

Soup:

  • 1 cup orzo/risoni

  • 2 tbsp butter

  • 3 big carrots, peeled and cubed

  • 2 big leeks, halved and sliced

  • 3 celery stalks, sliced

  • 2 cups peas

  • Zest and juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 punnet dill, chopped

  • 250g crème fraîche (optional)

  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Instructions

To make the broth in a deep pot heat some olive oil and fry chicken thighs skin side down first to get a good caramelization then turn over. 

Add 2 litres of cold water and the onions, carrots, leeks, bay leaves.  Put a lid on and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat down and simmer for a few hours until the chicken is falling apart.

Remove the chicken and when cool debone the chicken.  Keep the meat to one side and put the bones back into the stock pot.  Add some more water if necessary and carry on simmering for a while longer.  Strain and keep the broth.

To make the soup heat the butter in a deep pot and gently fry the celery, leeks, garlic and carrots.

Add the broth, chicken, orzo and allow to boil until the orzo is cooked.

Add the peas and when ready to serve, serve with the lemon juice, zest and chopped dill.  Crème fraiche is a delicious addition if you like a creamier soup.