Having roast chicken tonight? Save the carcass and leftover meat. There is something really satisfying about using up leftovers and having a free meal. Asian chicken noodle soup has so many healing properties you get different properties from the ingredients in this dish. You have chicken bones, ginger, garlic and spinach which are all superfoods in their own right so to have all this goodness in one bowl is amazing, I don’t think we will be getting a old anytime soon! This soup was tasty too it has a lovely kick but not too hot. I will never throw out a left over chicken carcass ever again.

Ingredients

For the soup stock

• 1 left over chicken carcass
• 1 shallot, peeled and quartered
• 4 chicken stock cubes, dissolved in 2l of hot water
• 1 1/2 piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half if large
• 2 star anise
• 1 tsp szechuan peppercorns

For the soup

• 2 nests of dried rice noodles
• thumb piece of ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
• bunch of spring onions, white part only sliced
• 1/2 bag spinach
• 1/2 red chilli, sliced
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 4 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbs coriander, finely chopped

Method

1. Place chicken, sliced ginger, garlic and chicken stock in a saucepan over high heat. Bring to the boil. Skim scum from surface. Reduce heat to low; cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
2. Strain broth through a fine colander into a heatproof bowl. Cool. Cover with plastic food wrap; chill overnight.
3. When the chicken carcass is cool,  shred leftover meat from bones; discard bones. Place chicken meat in a bowl. Cover with plastic food wrap; chill overnight.
4. The following day, soak noodles in boiling water in a heatproof bowl for 2 minutes. Stir to separate strands. Drain and rinse under cold water, set aside.
5. Skim fat from surface of broth. Place broth in a saucepan over moderate heat. Bring to a simmer. Add the extra ginger, chilli, sesame oil, soy sauce, spinach and simmer for 3-4 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add in the cooked shredded chicken. Season to taste if necessary.
6. Divide noodles among serving bowls. Ladle soup over noodles, top with coriander.