Couscous, Chicken and Vegetable Soup

With winter trying to push its way into our lives, I have been on the lookout for some new soup recipes. There are many and varied versions out there and I am busy trying out many of them.

Thought I would share this quite unusual favourite of ours with you in the meantime. We have been indulging ourselves for a few winters with this one. I can't remember just where this originated but seem to recall that it could have been a Vogue magazine. This aromatic and flavoursome soup has great texture and is a meal on its own.

I always make double the recipe and freeze for convenience. How good is it to be able to walk in, tired, and know there is this “meal” waiting to be eaten in the freezer.
You might say, “I didn’t think you could freeze a dish with these ingredients”. Believe me…… anything is possible. All you need to remember is that you should thaw out, not boil out. When heating……… “gently” is the way to go.  

Ingredients 

2 tbls olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 chicken fillets cut into 1cm pieces
2 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp grnd cardamom
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp chilli powder
1 tbls tomato paste
425 can tomatoes drained and chopped
1.5 litres chicken stock
1 zucchini chopped
4 yellow button squash quartered
90 g  (½ cup) couscous
2 tbls coarsely chopped coriander

Heat olive oil in large saucepan. Add onion and cook over low heat until soft. Add chicken and cook for further 5 minutes before adding cinnamon sticks, cardamom, paprika and chilli.

 Stir over low heat for three minutes until fragrant. Add tomato paste, tomato and chicken stock and season to taste. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes.

 Add vegetables and cook for further 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

 Gradually pour in couscous and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

Remove cinnamon sticks and serve sprinkled with coriander. 

YUM!! (Thanks Mum & Dad)  M x