Chicken soup is the ultimate warm hug in food form – known to address fraught times, heart break, grief for our loved ones, the planet, our vulnerable communities.

Making stock

Chicken soup, so simple, nourishing and comforting, starts with chicken stock.

First, save your raw chicken carcases – wrap them up and freeze until you have two, three or more. If you want to boost the lovely silky quality of the stock buy a bag of wing tips and/or chicken necks to add to the pot.

When you have enough, place them in a large stock pot of cold water and add chunks of carrots, celery stalks and leaves, onions, a bunch of parsley, some bay leaves and black peppercorns (do not add salt at this point – season your soup or sauces to your taste when you cook them). Bring to a boil, then simmer for about three hours, skimming off the frothy scum a couple of times.

You now have delicious stock to chill, remove the fat and transfer to your freezer. Put it in multiple containers so you can have it ready in useful quantities for soups, sauces or stews – label and add the date. Discard the exhausted bones and veg.

Nourishing soups for body and soul

Pull out your block of frozen stock (or use ready-made stock or cubes).

Chicken vegetable soup – Start by cooking diced onions and garlic in olive oil, add sliced carrots, celery, potatoes and any other vegetables you feel like adding (fennel, parsnips, swedes, corn kernels, whatever). Once the veg are softened and aromatic, add herbs of your choice, pour in your stock, bring to a simmer and add any green veg you might like (green beans, baby peas, cabbage, silver beet, whatever). Season with salt and black pepper and serve with crusty bread.

Minestrone – As above but after all the veg, add cooked dried beans (borlotti or kidney beans work well) and some chunky pasta. Top with grated parmesan.

For Asian chicken noodle soup – Stick with Asian aromatics starting with garlic and ginger, some soy sauce and Chinese cooking wine, and a little sesame oil. Pour boiling water over some thin rice vermicelli noodles (or Hokkien, ramen or any others), wilt some bok choi (or other greens). Put greens and noodles into a bowl and pour hot stock over them. Add shredded chicken (if you want), some chilli paste if you’re looking for some fire and some finely sliced spring onions (or not).

Angela Marshall