Ingredients
Serves4
3 tbsp butter
4 shallots , chopped
1 leek , sliced
450 g / 1 lb skinless chicken
breast , chopped
600 ml / 1 pint chicken stock
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp fresh thyme ,
plus extra springs to garnish
175 ml / 6 fl oz double cream
salt and pepper
Method
1 . Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat . Add the shallots and cook , stirring for 3 minutes until softened . Add the leek and cook for a further 5 minutes . Stirring . Add the chicken , stock and herbs , and season . Bring to the boil then simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through . Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 10 minutes .
2 . Transfer the soup to a food processor or blended and process until smooth ( you may need to do this in batches ). Return the soup to the rinsed out pan and warm over a low heat for 5 minutes .
3 . Stir in the cream and cook for a further 2 minutes , then remove from the heat and ladle into serving bowls . Garnish with sprigs of thyme and serve immediately .
variation
For a low fat option , omit the double cream and replace half the chicken stock with semi-skimmed milk . The soup will still taste smooth and creamy .