Veggie & chicken noodle soup

Prep 20 mins | Cook 50 mins | Serves 4

6 cups chicken stock
300g chicken breast fillets, halved lengthways
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 medium Desiree potato, peeled and chopped
1 medium parsnip, peeled and chopped
¹⁄₃ cup broken dried spaghetti

STEP 1 Heat 1 cup stock in a large saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add chicken, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes on each side or until just cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate. Pour stock into a heatproof jug and set aside. Wipe saucepan with paper towel.

STEP 2 Heat oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes until tender. Add celery, carrots, potato and parsnip and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

STEP 3 Stir in reserved and remaining 5 cups stock. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat for 25 minutes or until vegetables are just tender. Stir in spaghetti, season with salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until spaghetti is tender. Shred chicken and stir into soup then simmer for 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Good for you ... Carrots

The old saying that carrots help you see in the dark is due to their high content of beta carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A and uses for normal vision.

A good source of vitamin C, one of the vitamins needed for the normal functioning of the immune system.

Provide dietary fibre, whether raw or cooked. Dietary fibre helps keep the intestine healthy.