Tavuklu Şehriye Çorbası — Chicken and Vermicelli Soup

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts or 4 chicken thighs, skinless
• 1.5 litres water
• 1 onion, peeled and halved
• 1 carrot, peeled
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 80g thin vermicelli (şehriye) or broken angel hair pasta
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Chopped fresh parsley, to serve

Method

1. Put the chicken, water, onion, carrot and bay leaf in a pan. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

2. Lift out the chicken and shred it. Strain the stock, discarding the vegetables and bay leaf.

3. Melt the butter with the oil in a clean pan, stir in the flour for 1 minute, then add the vermicelli and stir for 1 to 2 minutes until golden.

4. Gradually pour in the hot stock, whisking, and simmer for 8 minutes until the vermicelli is tender and the soup is slightly thickened.

5. Return the chicken to the pan, season, add the lemon juice and serve scattered with parsley.