Chicken soup

Pure soul food, this warming, easy chicken soup makes the most of leftover roast chicken.

Ingredients

• 55g/2oz butter
• 2 onions, peeled and sliced
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 25g/2oz plain flour
• 1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock
• 450g/1lb cooked chicken, skinned and shredded
• 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation method

1. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften.
2. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you do so. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the parsley and serve.