Recipe: Comforting, homemade chicken soup

Feeling in need of a comforting pick-me-up? There's nothing better than homemade chicken soup to help you feel better instantly. Here's a recipe you'll enjoy even when you're not under the weather.

To make chicken soup from scratch, you will first need to prep your chicken and make chicken stock. That means you will need to "joint" your chicken. To do this you will need:

• Chopping board
• Sharp knife
• Poultry shears or strong scissors (optional)

The trick when jointing is to be aware of the bird's anatomy and work with it. Remember that:

• Dark meat cooks more slowly than light, so legs and thighs are best cut into smaller pieces than the breast meat.
• For an uncooked bird weighing 1.5 kg (three pounds) or less, six pieces (steps 1 to 4) should be sufficient.
• For larger birds, make eight pieces by dividing the breasts (step 5) or carry on to make 10 pieces by dividing the legs into thighs and drumsticks (step 6).
• Poultry shears or scissors aren't essential, but make the job a lot easier.

Instructions:

1. Place the chicken breast side up on a chopping board
   Gently pull one leg out from the body, then cut through the skin between the body and leg. Bend the leg until it pops out of the socket. Cut through the flesh under the joint. Repeat with the other leg.
2. Use shears or a knife to cut off the wing pinions (ends) and discard
   To separate the wings from the body, begin by making a deep cut in the breast, near the inside of each wing, angling the knife diagonally. Cut down into the meat to expose the bones.
3. Free the wings from the carcass
   To do so cut through the flesh and bone between the ball-and-socket joints with poultry shears or strong kitchen scissors. Carefully check for and remove any remaining bone splinters.
4. Remove the breast meat
   To remove the breast meat, you can use shears or scissors to cut through the thin rib cage on either side of the backbone. Discard the backbone or keep and use for stock for soup.
5. Divide the breast into two
   This is done by carefully cutting crosswise or lengthwise through the flesh using a knife, and then through the bones and cartilage with shears or scissors.
6. Cut the legs in half
   The easiest way is through the joint between thigh and drumstick.
7. Remove the skin
   This step is optional. If you wish, remove the skin and trim excess fat or bone from all pieces.

Makes 2 litres (2 quarts) of stock

• 1 kg (2 lb) chicken bones, drumsticks, wings and giblets (except liver), washed
• 1.5 L (6 c) water
• 120 g (1/2 c) onion, peeled and quartered
• 120 g (1/2 c) carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large stick celery, chopped
• Bouquet garni (optional)
• 6 black peppercorns

Instructions:

1. Put the chicken ingredients into a large pot
   Bring contents slowly to a boil. Skim off any scum.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for three hours
   Removing any further scum. Strain, cool and chill. Remove any fat from the surface.

Serves 4

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
• 225 g (1/2 lb) uncooked chicken breast or thigh meat without skin or bone, cut into small cubes
• 1 L (4 c) chicken stock 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 sticks celery, diced
• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
• 45 g (3 tbsp) parsley, chopped, divided
• 75 g (1/3 c) long-grain rice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot
   Add the chicken and brown lightly.
2. Add the stock, carrots, celery, onion, 30 grams (two tablespoons) of parsley and the rice
   Season with salt and pepper. Bring to the boil then simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Check and adjust the seasoning.
3. Serve in warmed soup bowls with the remaining parsley sprinkled on top!