Slow Cooked Chicken, Fennel and Rice Soup

Slow Cooked Chicken, Fennel and Rice Soup

Ingredients (Serves 6)                                                                                 

1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle

1 kg chicken thighs (bone or boneless)

3 garlic cloves, crushed, plus 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 fennel, thinly sliced, fronds reserved

1 cinnamon stick

1 cup Arborio rice

4 thyme sprigs

2.5 litres chicken stock

finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup pecans, roasted, finely chopped

Method

• Heat oil in large pan over high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning halfway, for 6 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to medium-high and add crushed garlic, onion and fennel. Cook for 15 minutes or until starting to caramelise
• Return chicken and any resting juices to fennel mixture with cinnamon, rice, thyme and stock. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low and cook for 2 hours or until rice has broken down. Discard cinnamon and any visible thyme stalks
• If bones on chicken, transfer chicken to a chopping board and carefully shred meat from bones, discarding bones and skin. Return meat to soup (add extra hot stock or water. 1/4 cup at a time, if you like, to reach desired consistency) and stir through lemon juice
• Combine extra garlic, reserved fennel fronds, lemon zest and pecans in a bowl
• Divide soup among serving bowls. Scatter with pecan mixture and drizzle with extra oil to serve