Serving size: Serves 4
Cuisine type: Modern Australian
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
Course: Main
Favourite flavours: Chicken, Easy recipes, Soup
Convenience recipes: four or less

Real Living recipe for chicken, leek, broccolini, lentil and spinach soup.

INGREDIENTS

1½ tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, trimmed & sliced
3 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 celery stalks, sliced
1.7L water
3 x 28g chicken stock pots (we used Continental brand; see "Tip")
600g chicken breasts
1 bunch broccolini, cut into bite-size pieces
400g tin lentils, drained & rinsed
160g baby spinach leaves
Salt & black pepper
Crusty bread, to serve

Equipment
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Colander
Large saucepan
Spoon
Medium bowl

METHOD

Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks, thyme and celery, and cook for 8 mins until soft and just coloured.

Add water and stock pots to saucepan and bring to a simmer.

Poach chicken breasts in soup for 12 to 15 mins (depending on the size) until just cooked through. Remove chicken from soup and set aside in bowl to cool slightly.

Add broccolini to pan and cook for 2 mins. Stir through lentils and spinach to warm. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.

Shred chicken breasts and stir through soup. Ladle soup into bowls, and season with black pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

Tip These stock pots are a jellied flavour base that you dissolve in hot water. For this recipe, you can also use 6 cups of ready-made stock.