A winter stand-by. I've used leg and thigh portions as getting hold of chicken carcasses is far too hard these days, and it is nice to have some meat to pull off the bones and return to the soup too.

Ingredients

• 2-3 chicken leg and thigh portions, skin removed
• 2 onions, peeled and finely diced
• 2 large carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 3 stalks celery, trimmed and finely diced
• 1 waxy potato, peeled and finely diced, optional
• ½ cup split green peas or yellow peas
• ½ cup pearl barley
• 1 tablespoon chicken stock powder
• 1 bouquet garni, optional
• 10 cups water
• 1 cup frozen peas and corn mix
• 1 cup loosely packed, chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.
2. Place the chicken into the pre-warmed slow cooker. Add the onions, carrots, celery, potato if using, split peas, barley, chicken stock powder and bouquet garni if using.
3. Pour in the water - there should be sufficient water to just cover the chicken and vegetables. Cover with the lid.
4. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the chicken is cooked.
5. Carefully remove the chicken pieces and, when cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones, tear into bite-sized pieces and return to the soup.
6. Add the frozen peas and corn to the soup, cover with the lid and cook on high for a further 30 minutes to cook the frozen vegetables and ensure the soup is hot.
7. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Remove the bouquet garni before serving.
8. Serve in deep bowls with the onion 'n' cheese pastry straws (see recipe on our website).

Cooks Tips

Variations: - Add 1 cup minced or finely diced ham with the peas and corn. - Replace the potato, split peas, barley and stock powder with a purchased packet of soup pre-mix. They come pre-flavoured for minestone, pea and ham, chicken and corn and more. Look for them in the supermarket, near where packet soups are sold. - Replace the parsley with ¼ cup chopped fresh thyme. - Mix 2 tablespoons of cornflour with 1 cup cream until smooth and stir into the soup with the frozen peas and corn for a cream-style version. Cover and cook on high for 30 minutes before serving.