White minestrone with chicken salt croutons
Utilising the whole chicken thigh – including its crispy skin and fat – maximises the savoury chicken flavour of this white minestrone (or minestrone bianco).
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
- olive oil, for roasting
- 3 slices of sourdough bread, diced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 tbsp of unsalted butter
- 2 shallots, finely diced
- 3 carrots, finely diced
- 3 celery sticks, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp of mixed dried herbs
- 1.5l chicken stock
- 200g of orzo
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 haricot beans, drained
- 1/4 bunch of parsley, finely chopped, to finish
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper
- Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, or until cooked through and golden
- Carefully remove the chicken skins from the thighs and transfer to the second clean baking sheet. Return to the oven for further 10 minutes to crisp up and become deep golden, checking regularly, then remove to kitchen paper
- Meanwhile, toss the bread in the rendered chicken fat on the first baking sheet, adding a little olive oil as needed to coat. Spread the croutons out into a single layer and bake for 12 minutes, until golden and crisp, turning halfway, then remove to kitchen paper
- For the minestrone, heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the shallots, carrot, and celery and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, turmeric, and dried herbs and cook for a further 2 minutes
- Pat dry the chicken skin with kitchen paper then crush in a pestle and mortar with the sea salt, white pepper, garlic powder and dried rosemary, until roughly broken down – a bit of texture works well here
- Toss the croutons with the chicken skin salt and set aside. Shred the chicken and set aside
- Pour the chicken stock into the pan and bring to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring regularly
- Add the drained haricot beans and shredded chicken and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, until the orzo is cooked through. Stir in the lemon juice (reserving the zest for serving) and season to taste
- Ladle the minestrone into shallow bowls and top with the crispy chicken salt croutons, fresh parsley and reserved lemon zest. Serve immediately
Rendered chicken fat is used to roast the croutons, and the crispy chicken skin is crushed into a herby salt with dried garlic and rosemary. The minestrone base is made from a soffrito of shallots, carrots, celery and golden turmeric and is finished with fresh lemon, parsley and hearty haricot beans.
Note: If you want to cook the minestrone in advance, hold off cooking the orzo in the soup until the day you want to serve – otherwise it will continue to absorb the liquid as it sits in the fridge. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line 2 baking sheets with baking paper Place the chicken thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Roast for 40 minutes, or until cooked through and golden Carefully remove the chicken skins from the thighs and transfer to the second clean baking sheet.
Return to the oven for further 10 minutes to crisp up and become deep golden, checking regularly, then remove to kitchen paper Meanwhile, toss the bread in the rendered chicken fat on the first baking sheet, adding a little olive oil as needed to coat. Spread the croutons out into a single layer and bake for 12 minutes, until golden and crisp, turning halfway, then remove to kitchen paper
For the minestrone, heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan on a medium heat. Add the shallots, carrot, and celery and cook for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, turmeric, and dried herbs and cook for a further 2 minutes
Pat dry the chicken skin with kitchen paper then crush in a pestle and mortar with the sea salt, white pepper, garlic powder and dried rosemary, until roughly broken down – a bit of texture works well here Toss the croutons with the chicken skin salt and set aside. Shred the chicken and set aside
Add the drained haricot beans and shredded chicken and simmer for another 3-5 minutes, until the orzo is cooked through. Stir in the lemon juice (reserving the zest for serving) and season to taste