Peri Peri Chicken Soup

My son’s latest regimen threw me for a loop last week. With the apparent blessing of all other 13-year-old boys on the world wide gaming web, my former meatatarian has been living on a steady diet of cinnamon toast crunch cereal, cilantro/jalapeno hummus and pita chips. I’ve learned to expect this dietary behavior from my daughter, who occasionally takes a break from meat. But never my son. After all, this is the kid I’ve seen eat a half-pound burger topped with ham and bacon and still get back on his skis!  

So I overdid it the other day on the Peri Peri Chicken. I made far more than one man could possibly eat. And then, after watching the leftovers languish in the fridge, I hit on a solution: Peri Peri Chicken Soup. Good for the soul; good for what ails you; and good for a cold winter’s day. And who knows? Maybe if I freeze some for a later date, my kids will join me for a tasty bowl.

Now we’re talking!

Peri Peri Chicken Soup

4-6 servings

For the stock:

½ recipe of Peri Peri Chicken (see note)

10 cups of water

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 sticks of celery, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon of dry thyme

10 sprigs of parsley

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon of cayenne

3 teaspoons of salt

To finish the soup:

1 stick of celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 Costena Amarillo or Caterina chili pods (optional) 

½ lemon, in 6 pieces

Peri Peri Chicken note: If you have the option, make this soup with 2½ pounds of Peri Peri Chicken that has been cooked only through the 1^st baking (see recipe Here), but not finished. This will yield the best results.

You could also make this with other leftover chicken, adding vinegar, spices and a quartered lemon to make the characteristic Peri Peri flavor.

To make the stock: Remove the breast meat from the Peri Peri Chicken and set it aside. In a 6-quart stockpot sauté the carrots, celery and onions in olive oil for 10 minutes. Break the carcass of the half-chicken into thirds, and add it, the pan drippings and cooked lemon to the stockpot. Now add the water and all other stock ingredients. Bring slowly to a rolling simmer over medium heat, but do not let the stock boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 hours or more, skimming the fat from the top as necessary.

To finish the soup: Strain the stock into a 4-quart pot. Remove the thigh meat and the leg meat and put with the reserved breast meat. Discard all strained vegetables and chicken remnants.

Add 1 chopped carrot, a stick of chopped celery and the chili pods to the stock and simmer for 45 minutes. Now add the lemon wedges and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Adjust salt if necessary. At this point, for a bit more heat, you can also add hot sauce or more cayenne pepper.

To serve: Chop the chicken meat into half inch pieces. Put about ½ cup diced chicken into each bowl and pour hot soup over it. Garnish with a piece of lemon or two and a chili and serve immediately.

This lemony fresh-tasting soup with a hint of heat is great with a crusty loaf of bread, or perfect as the start of a spicy meal!

Peri Peri Chicken Soup Stock on the Stovetop