Chilli Chicken Meatball and Noodle Soup

By Angela Patel

If you feel you’ve had your fill of rich and indulgent food after the Christmas festivities then this warming bowl of goodness is just the ticket. 

Although a little time consuming, making a nutrient-rich and flavourful bone broth with  chicken carcass is a great way to use up left overs after a Sunday roast and gives you a perfect base for winter soups and stews. Here I’ve added chilli, garlic and ginger-spiced meatballs, a few veggies and rice noodles to make a deliciously filling spiced soup. 

Kitchen tools needed: 
Holborn Salt and Pepper Mills

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 3-4 Hours, plus cooling time

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 300g minced chicken
• 2 tsp root ginger paste (from a jar)
• 4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
• 2 plump red chillies, sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp sesame seed oil
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 50g green beans, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled and pared into ribbons with a vegetable peeler
• 100g rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges, to serve
• Few fresh Thai basil leaves, to garnish (optional)
  

For The Chicken Bone Broth: 

• 1 roast chicken carcass, stripped of meat (see Tips)
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, roughly chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• Few black peppercorns
  

Method:

1. First make the chicken bone broth. Break up the carcass and place in a very large flameproof casserole or saucepan. Add the onion, carrot, bay leaf and peppercorns and cover with cold water (at least 2.5 litres). Bring to the boil, then using a slotted spoon, skim off any scum from the surface.
2. Partially cover and simmer very gently for 3-4 hours, topping up with a little more water after 2 hours, if needed. Leave to cool completely then strain through a fine sieve into a large jug or bowl. Cover and chill (the broth will keep in the fridge for 24 hours).
   
3. To make the chicken meatballs, place the chicken mince in a food processor with the ginger paste and coriander and half the chillies and garlic. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and process until well blended. Divide and shape the mince mixture into 16 walnut- sized meatballs. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. 
   
4. To make the soup, heat both the oils in a large flameproof casserole or deep frying pan, over a medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
   
5. Add the remaining chilli and garlic to the casserole or pan along with the spring onions and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Pour in 1.5 litres of the cold chicken bone broth and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the meatballs and green beans and simmer for 5-6 minutes. 
   
6. Add the carrot ribbons and noodles and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the noodles have just softened, stirring with forks or chopsticks to separate the noodles. Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice and season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Ladle into warmed serving bowls and serve garnished with basil leaves and with extra lime wedges to squeeze. 
   

Tips: 

• If you don’t have a chicken carcass you can make bone broth from a raw chicken portion. Remove the skin and add to the pan with the other ingredients. After simmering, strip off the cooked chicken meat from the bone, cool and use for adding to other home-made soups.
• Any leftover bone broth can be frozen to use in other soups and stews. Pour into a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.