Slow Cooker Poached Chicken, Quinoa and Vegetable Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 1 x 1.6kg Organic Chicken
• 1 large brown onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 carrots, cut into ½ cm rounds
• 3 celery stalks, cut into 1cm pieces
• 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 ½ cups quinoa, uncooked (no requirement to rinse Kiwi Quinoa – saponin free)
• 1 chili, fresh or dried
• 3 bay leaves
• 10 whole black peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons salt
• Sprig of thyme or rosemary or good pinch of Italian herbs
• 8 cups water (more if required to completely cover the chicken carcass in the slow cooker)
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 800gm jar whole or sieved tomato
• 8 cups water (more if required to completely cover the chicken carcass in the slow cooker)

Just Before Serving

• 1 cup chopped celery tops
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Place the chicken, all the vegetables (except the celery tops), uncooked quinoa, chili, peppercorns, salt and herbs into a slow cooker. Cover with water, chicken stock and jar of tomatoes so that the chicken is completely submerged. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until the quinoa has tails have released.
2. Allow to cool slightly, remove the chicken from the slow cooker onto a plate.
3. Using 2 forks, remove the skin, shred the meat off the chicken carcass and add back into the soup.
4. Add the chopped celery tops, 2 teaspoons of paprika and season with salt, pepper and chilli to taste.
5. Put the slow cooker back to high heat for twenty minutes or until the ideal temperature to serve.
6. Serve with fresh herbs. We love parsley, marjoram or thyme.