28 August 2023 — Recipe

Hearty Chicken and Couscous Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive oil as needed
• 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 4-5 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon of fresh turmeric, grated OR 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
• 6-8 cups of low sodium chicken broth (adjust according to preference)
• Approximately 450g of boneless, skinless chicken breast (chicken thighs can be used as a substitute)
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed and chopped
• 2 teaspoons of Salt
• Black pepper to taste
• 3/4 cup of pearl or Israeli couscous
• 2/3 cup of frozen peas

METHOD:

1. Start by heating olive oil in a large pot. Once the oil is hot, add garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Cook them until the onion becomes translucent.
2. Add freshly grated ginger and turmeric to the pot. Mix everything thoroughly and allow the spices to combine with the vegetables for about half a minute. Following this, pour in the chicken broth, add the chicken breast, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper.
3. Bring the soup to a boil, then add the couscous. Make sure the chicken breasts are immersed in the broth.
4. Reduce the heat to achieve a gentle simmer. Leave it to cook, uncovered, for approximately 20-25 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked.
5. Once the chicken is cooked, move it to a clean cutting board and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, along with the frozen peas. Add more broth if you prefer a more liquid soup.
6. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
   Note: The soup often tastes even better the next day, so consider saving some leftovers. Enjoy your meal!
   Recipe Source: This recipe is inspired by the Ambitious Kitchen, and has been slightly amended to cater to Anna’s taste preferences.