Quick and Easy Chicken and Leek Soup.

A wonderfully light soup which can use leftover chicken from a roast dinner.

Done in the soup maker, this soup only takes 26 minutes to cook

If you prefer, you can make it in a saucepan instead, simmering the soup until the leeks, carrots, onions and celery are lovely and soft.
If you are using a saucepan, gently sweat the leeks, onions, carrots and celery in a little butter or vegan spread first over a low heat until glossy looking and softened slightly. Stir the gentle to stop them from burning on the bottom of the pan. Then add the water and stock pots and cooked chicken and simmer until the chicken is piping hot and the vegetables are cooked through.

Ingredients for chicken and leek soup

• A couple of carrots, peeled and chopped into chunks no bigger than 1cm cubed
• A couple of leeks, peeled, rinsed and carefully diced
• A couple of sticks of celery, rinsed and chopped into chunks about 1cm cubed* (*Optional)
• A medium onion, peeled and diced into chunks no bigger than 1cm cubed.
• A couple of chicken stockpots or stock cubes (or vegetable ones if you prefer)
• A little shredded or cubed cooked chicken to taste
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Celery Salt to taste (*optional) 

Method for chicken and leek soup

Place the diced carrots, celery, leeks and onion into the bottom of the soup maker. Put the cooked chicken on the top and add the stock pots. Top up with water to the top of the vegetables (ensure it is between the min and max line)

Cook on the chunky setting if using a soup maker or cook in a pan until the vegetables are soft. Check to see if you need to adjust the seasoning and if so add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

Serve with freshly baked bread rolls or with a crunchy french stick and proper butter.