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Bowl of chicken garden soup drizzled with Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil

Chicken Garden Soup

A comforting chicken soup packed with garden vegetables and finished with Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil for afresh, herby lift.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6
Course: Main Meal, Soup
Cuisine: Comfort Food, South African
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil divided
  • 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 onion diced
  • 2 carrots diced
  • 2 celery sticks diced
  • 1 leek sliced (white and light green parts only)
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • 1 medium potato peeled and diced
  • 1.5 litres chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 courgette diced
  • 1 cup shredded cabbage or baby spinach
  • A small handful fresh parsley chopped
  • Fresh basil leaves to serve

Method
 

  1. Warm 1 tablespoon of Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, add to the pot, and brown for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
  2. Add the remaining basil oil to the pot along with the onion, carrot, celery and leek. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
  3. Stir in the garlic and cook for a further minute, until fragrant.
  4. Return the browned chicken to the pot, add the potato, stock and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  5. Add the courgette and cabbage or spinach, and continue to simmer for 10 more minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through.
  6. Remove the bay leaf. Stir through the chopped parsley and check the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper as needed.
  7. Ladle into bowls, finish each with a drizzle of Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil, and scatter over a few fresh basil leaves before serving.

Notes

  • Storage: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • Freezing: freezes well for up to 3 months. The potato can soften on thawing, so some prefer to leave it out and stir in freshly cooked potato when reheating.
  • Make ahead: the soup can be made a day in advance and reheated gently on the stove; the flavour deepens overnight.
  • Serving suggestion: serve with warm crusty bread for mopping up the broth, and finish with an extra drizzle of Wilson's Basil Flavoured Oil at the table.