Chicken soup is the ultimate soul food. It is incredibly nourishing and a wonderful way to stay healthy and well. There’s also something therapeutic about making chicken soup and then sitting down to enjoy its delicious goodness.

| Serves 6 |

Ingredients

1 x 1.6kg organic chicken

1 brown onion, chopped

1 garlic head, halved crossways

1 tbsp sliced ginger

1 tbsp grated fresh turmeric

6 black peppercorns

4 cloves

1 tbsp dulse flakes (seaweed)

2 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

3 litres water

2 zucchini, sliced into rounds

2 parsnips, peeled and sliced

200g cauliflower, cut into florets

200g broccoli, cut into florets, stalks chopped

1 cup silverbeet or baby spinach, finely chopped

1 tbsp tamari

flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Method

Rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towel. Place the chicken in a large pot and add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, cloves, dulse flakes, carrot and celery. Pour in the water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 3 hours or until the chicken is falling off the bone.

Remove the chicken bones and save them for making a bone broth (follow this recipe). Skim off any foam that rises to the surface of the soup during this time.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook for 1 hour or until the vegetables are tender. Stir through the silverbeet or baby spinach, allow to wilt slightly, and then ladle generously into bowls and serve with fresh parsley. Enjoy.