Djaj Qdra Shorba - Chicken Pot Soup

 Djaj - Chicken, Qdra - Pot, Shorba - Soup

I always go to soup and stews recipes as a healthier comfort food option, this soup hit all the right spots in terms of ease and flavour.

The spices Saffron and Cinnamon are the best of north african flavours and both play a key role in this wholesome bowl of Chicken thigh, chunky potato and chickpea soup.

Although i didn't use either lemon zest or juice i think it can only bring something positively bright to the flavours and make them zing just that little bit more.

I was totally captivated by the colours in this soup both slightly dark, earthy looking broth with sunny yellow, saffron dyed potatoes and chickpeas, caramelised chicken and then the leafy green herbs to finish it made this a really tempting soup.

As always in north African cuisine you can give this a chili hit with a dash of harissa, harissa!

Chicken Pot Soup

Source: adapted from hamlyn all colour cookbook 200 chicken dishes page 180 'chicken qdra' ISBN:978-0-600-61859-1  

Level: Easy

Preparation time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
300 grams, halal skinless & boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon plain flour
450 millimetres boiled water + 1 organic halal veg / chicken stock cube or homemade  halal chicken stock
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon * optional
1 large pinch of saffron threads
1/4 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
250 grams potatoes, cut into chunks
fresh herbs to finish such as parsley, mint (i used coriander)
salt and pepper
harissa * optional

Method

1. Heat the oil in a soup pan, tagine or casserole, add the chicken and onions, fry for 5 minutes until chicken sealed and onions soft and translucent.
2. Stir in garlic, then mix in the flour. Add the stock (or water+stock cube) lemon zest and juice(if using), saffron, cinnamon, a dash of salt and pepper and bring to a boil then cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes then add potato and chickpeas and continue to cook for another 30 minutes or add potatoes and chickpeas into oven proof dish, cover and place in a pre-heated oven, 180C (350 F), Gas mark 4 cook for 1 hour .
3. Remove a few of the chunks chicken from the soup, in a hot frying pan with no more than a teaspoon of oil fry chicken for a minute or 2 until browned. 
4. Stir in a few of the herbs and ladle into serving bowls, garnish with chicken pieces and more fresh herbs and harissa if preferred.

Notes :

• For a gluten free version use a gluten free stock cube or homemade stock and replace plain flour with 1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with some water to form a paste, stir this into soup 3 minutes before end of cooking.