Hearty Chicken & Spelt Soup With Parsley Oil

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ gas 7, then take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel and finely dice your brown onion[s]

Top, tail, peel and dice your carrot[s] finely

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Chop your parsley finely, including the stalks

Boil a kettle

Heat a large, wide-based pot (with a matching lid) over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil

Once hot, add the diced onion and diced carrot with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to soften

Dissolve your chicken stock mix and soy sauce in 600ml [900ml] [1.2L] boiled water

Once softened, add the half the chopped garlic (you'll use the rest later!) and cook for a further 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your spelt and bay leaf[ves] to the pot with the chicken stock and a pinch of salt

Bring to the boil over a high heat and cook, covered, for 30 min or until tender (it will still have a slight bite when cooked)

Meanwhile, add your chicken breast strips to a baking paper-lined tray with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and pepper

Put the tray in the oven for 15-18 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!)

Combine the remaining garlic and half the chopped parsley with 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] olive oil – this is your parsley oil

Slice your ciabatta[s] into 3 slices per person

Add the sliced ciabatta to a separate baking tray (or two!) with a drizzle of olive oil

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 5-6 min or until the ciabatta is starting to brown – these are your ciabatta toasts

Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer the chicken to a clean board and shred it apart, using two forks - this technique is known as 'pulling'

Wash your spinach and pat it dry with kitchen paper

Once the spelt is tender, add the shredded chicken, spinach and remaining chopped parsley to the pot and cook for 2-3 min further or until the spinach has wilted – this is your hearty chicken & spelt soup