African Blue Basil-infused Chicken & Kale Soup

This slow-cook African Chicken Soup infused with African blue basil is intensely flavoursome and the epitome of comfort food. Low in calories, highly nutritious and easy to prepare. 

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If there ever was a dish worthy of being crowned the king or queen of comfort foods, that would undisputedly have to be chicken soup.

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Today’s recipe features a little twist on the classic chicken soup with the infusion of African blue basil.  In Africa, soups are prolific – like this squash soup from Mozambique, or this Ghanaian light seafood soup. And this herb finds wide applicability, mostly in soups. To the uninitiated, I would describe the flavour of African blue basil as savoury rather than sweet (think clove rather than Italian sweet basil).

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But the uniqueness of African blue basil lies in its smell. This herb is so potently fragrant that it has that unique ability to lend such amazing flavours to a dish. It means you can cut down on the amount of salt and sugar you add to a dish without compromising on taste. African blue basil works best with slow-cooked recipes, as the long(er) cooking time allows the flavours to fully develop into the dish. Slow cooking also allows the herb to soften up in texture, but this is more relevant if you are using fresh African blue.

If you are using the dried herb (as I did, simply because I couldn’t get my hands on the fresh herbs), all hope is not lost. African blue basil is so pungent, that the dried herb retains a lot of the flavour, actually better than most other dried herbs. So, to take this chicken soup which is a family favourite to another level of awesomeness on the gastronomic scale, I coarsely shredded some dried African blue, and added it to my chicken soup base.

Simple, elegant, and nutritious. what could be better? Unfortunately, this is not one of those recipes you can make in a hurry. A good chicken soup needs a few good hours for the flavours to deepen and come together. So, plan this recipe for when you’ve got ample time on your hands.

Toss the chicken and veggies into a dutch oven, cover it and allow to simmer, while you put your feet up with a glass of wine. A few hours later, I promise, your patience will be rewarded with the most full-bodied chicken soup that will leave you going back for seconds.

African Blue Basil-Infused Chicken & Kale Soup

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This slow-cook African Chicken Soup infused with African blue basil is intensely flavoursome and the epitome of comfort food. Low in calories, highly nutritious and easy to prepare. 

Servings	Prep Time
5 servings	15 minutes

Cook Time

2 hours

Servings Prep Time 5 servings 15 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

African Blue Basil-Infused Chicken & Kale Soup Print Recipe Add to Meal Plan: Select Course to Add: BreakfastLunchDinner This recipe has been added to your Meal Plan This slow-cook African Chicken Soup infused with African blue basil is intensely flavoursome and the epitome of comfort food. Low in calories, highly nutritious and easy to prepare.  Servings Prep Time 5 servings 15 minutes Cook Time 2 hours Servings Prep Time 5 servings 15 minutes Cook Time 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 5 carrots
• 1 celery root
• 2 leeks
• 50 g shiitake mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• bay leaves handful
• 100 g kale chopped
• 5 g african blue basil
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Units:MetricUS Imperial

Instructions

1. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a dutch oven and heat. When hot, add the chicken, onions, 1 clove of garlic, cabbage, 2 of the medium-sized carrots and 1 of the medium-sized leeks, and fry for 3 - 4 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Season with salt and pepper, add bay leaves and cold water to the dutch oven so everything is completely covered. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
3. When the stock is ready, drain the liquid, preserving this and discarding the vegetables. Allow the chicken to cool, and then shred it into pieces, taking care to discard all the bones. Set aside. Rinse and pat dry your Dutch Oven and prepare the base of your soup.
4. Place your dutch oven on low heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot, fry the garlic, shallots, remaining carrots, leek, mushrooms and african blue basil for about 5 minutes, until soft but not coloured. Add the drained stock to the pot, bring to boil, and then simmer for for about 15 minutes. Add the chopped kale and cook for a further 10 minutes.
5. Taste the soup for seasoning and adjust to suit taste preferences if needed. Serve with warm bread rolls.

Recipe Notes

I used free-range chicken approx. 1kg in weight.

carrots, celery root, leeks and mushrooms used are medium-sized, (peeled where appropriate) and roughly chopped

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Please let me know how it turned out for you. Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #africaonyourplate

Emem

 

Afro-fusion Food Lover.
Sustainable Food Advocate.
Completely nuts about Avocado.