Hairy Bikers' chicken noodle soup recipe

From the Hairy Bikers' BBC2 series, Twelve Days of Christmas, this chicken noodle soup is a brilliant way to make full use of chicken leftovers and will keep winter bugs away!

This Hairy Bikers' slow cooked chicken noodle soup might take around 2hrs and 40mins in total to cook but it's well worth the wait.

It's a classic winter warmer that the celebrity chefs, Hairy Bikers have added their own tasty spin on - true comfort food at it's finest. Plus, it's a great way of using up leftovers from your Sunday roast as you'd otherwise just throw away that chicken carcass. Not with this recipe, use it to make the heart chicken soup! And if you're stuck for lunch options, why not whip up a batch of it and freeze it for another day? It's one of those dishes that you'll be so pleased to remember you've got in the freezer.

You can make this Hairy Bikers chicken noodle soup recipe using fresh noodles, ones from your cupboard or even instant noodles! The great thing about this chicken noodle soup recipe is that there are no rules - it's all about whatever you are feeling the need for. We do recommend serving it though with a crusty bread roll or 2 slices of brown toast, with lashings of butter and maybe a cheeky slice of cheese if you fancy it.

Ingredients

• 3 chicken carcasses, plus the drumsticks
• 2½ litres water
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 large leek, sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 sticks celery, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Small bunch of thyme
• 1tsp peppercorns
• 1tsp salt flakes
• 1tbs chopped parsley
• 150g, dry weight of noodles of choice 
• Chopped chives to garnish

Method

1. Place the chicken carcasses and drumsticks in a large pan. Cover with the water. Add the carrots, celery, leek and onion.
2. Make a bouquet garni with the bay leaves and the thyme by tying in a little bundle with string. Add the bouquet garni and the peppercorns and salt.
3. Cover and simmer for about two hrs, or indeed all day, skimming the scum off the top regularly.
4. Leave to cool slightly. Strain into another saucepan. Pick off the meat as you wish and add to the broth.
5. Bring to a gentle simmer and add the noodles, simmer according to the instructions on the packet. When cooked, stir through the chopped parsley.
6. Serve in a generous bowl with a few chopped chives on the top.