Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Every so often, I'll go looking for a winter warmer recipe, wonder what the person who posted it was thinking to label a 19-ingredient dish "simple", and adjust it to my own tastes.

Also, I'm convinced that anyone who willingly adds something the taste and texture of wet hair (aka celery) to a recipe without being blackmailed or held at some form of weapon-point, has no business promoting their chosen dish as "even the picky eaters love it!!!"

I promise you, your picky eater kids don't. They just don't want to deal with OP throwing a tantrum if they don't pretend to like it. They're also really good at picking their non-favourite bits out and feeding it to the family pet under the table.

As with most of my recipes, the ingredients are variable according to your taste. If you hate anything listed below, substitute it with something else.

You will need...

• Chopping board

• Vegetable knife

• Two forks or knuckle spikes. I don't judge how you shred your meat...

• A slow cooker. Preferably a big one.
  Note: slow cookers and pressure cookers are entirely different items. Leaving a pressure cooker alone for 7-8 hours will leave you mopping the ceiling when you get home.

Ingredients

• Approximately 200g each of carrots and zucchini, chopped. Feel free to substitute this with any vegetable that doesn't have an overwhelming flavour. Potatoes, turnips, swede and parsnip are also fine.

• 1 onion, diced. I don't care what colour, and neither should you.

• 500g gnocchi pasta. I use baby gnocchi, because it fits on a spoon easier, but any sort is acceptable.

• Baby Spinach, the smallest packet your supermarket sells, whatever that is. Chopped or whole, it doesn't really matter, as long as you're not getting the frozen blocks of it.

• 250-500g bacon, diced

• Approximately 200g shredded cheese, any type. I use the Mexican blend, mostly because I buy it in bulk and have to use it somehow, but whatever floats your boat.

• 4 chicken breast fillets. You can use other parts of the bird, my partner just prefers these ones, and I don't actually care.

• Minced garlic, to taste. You'll ignore me and add however much you want anyway, and cloves are very variable in size.

• Thyme, approximately 1 tablespoon, but really to taste.

• Rosemary, 3 sprigs

• 1 bay leaf, if you really must. Very, Very Optional

• Any seasoning. (Optional) I use Italian herbs and chives. Go light on the salt, the bacon and cheese add plenty of that.

• 4 cups liquid chicken stock

• 1 cup cream

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch/arrowroot or tapioca flour

I do my chopping and other meal prep the night before, so I can toss it all in the slow-cooker on my way out the door to work. If you are making this on the weekend or work from home, you can do it on the day.

Feed me, Seymour! (Method)

1. Spread your chopped vegetables evenly along the bottom of your slow cooker, along with the minced garlic

2. Spread the bacon over that as the next layer

3. Place your chicken fillets on top, and lightly season

4. Add thyme and rosemary

5. Pour chicken stock over the top

6. Set and Forget on Low Heat (6-8 hours, or however long it takes you to get home from work)

7. Discard the rosemary and bay leaf.

8. Remove the chicken and shred to your preferred degree. If you have any kids whining about being hungry, feel free to make them do it.

9. Remove 1 ladle of stock, about 1/4 cup, and whisk in the cornstarch to make a slurry. Don't overdo it, a little goes a long way.

10. Return to soup, along with the shredded chicken

11. Add gnocchi and cream

12. Leave alone for another 45 minutes. (Seriously, set a timer) If you have kids, this can be bath or homework time.

13. After about 30 of the 45 minutes, add baby spinach and shredded cheese

14. Enjoy.

15. (optional) Reassure neighbours that nothing untoward is happening, if they inquire about loud blissful noises.

I like to post photos to my work group chat, because I'm on a crusade to get them to stop complaining to me (the lowest-paid person in the office) about how expensive it is to get take-out for lunch, and why my lunch always smells so good.

I have given up explaining that they could also make delicious smelling lunches without breaking the bank, since I manage on about half their annual wages.

If you're looking for other simple meals that are easily adjustable, check out the link below.