Chicken & Vegetable Broth

Prep time: 1 hr | Serves: 4

Ingredients:

•⁠ ⁠600g chicken Legs

•⁠ ⁠10ml sunflower oil

•⁠ ⁠1 medium onion

•⁠ ⁠1 medium carrot

•⁠ ⁠1 stick celery

•⁠ ⁠3 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

•⁠ ⁠1 bay leaf

•⁠ ⁠4g dried thyme or mixed herbs

•⁠ ⁠6g fine sea salt (plus more to taste)

•⁠ ⁠2g freshly ground black pepper

•⁠ ⁠1.5L water

•⁠ ⁠150g potatoes, chopped into bite-size pieces

•⁠ ⁠120g any cheap veg you have

•⁠ ⁠5ml lemon juice

Method:

1.⁠ ⁠In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, and brown for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the skin is golden in spots and there are some browned bits on the bottom of the pot. This gives your broth a deeper flavour.

2.⁠ ⁠Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to the pot. Cook 5–7 minutes, stirring now and then, until the vegetables soften slightly and pick up some colour. Sprinkle in thyme or mixed herbs, 4g salt and the pepper; stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

3.⁠ ⁠Pour in the lemon juice and water, Scrape the bottom of the pot with a spoon to release the browned bits. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a low simmer. Skim off any foam that rises to the top with a spoon. Simmer uncovered for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the broth smells rich and savoury.

4.⁠ ⁠Carefully lift the chicken pieces out onto a plate and let them cool for a few minutes. Add the potatoes and any harder vegetables directly to the broth and simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, remove the skin and bones from the chicken, shred the meat into bite-size pieces, and discard the bones and skin.

5.⁠ ⁠Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with any softer or quick-cooking vegetables. Simmer 5–10 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the stew has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, with bread or over rice if you like.

Storage:

Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The fat will solidify on top; you can scoop some off before reheating if you prefer a lighter broth. Reheat gently in a pot over low heat, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much, until piping hot all the way through.