Chicken Vegetable Soup with Lentils

A warm, hearty soup for a cold day.

1 whole chicken

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

water
1/2 cup of dry lentils
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 garlic gloves, minced
¼ cup minced parsley
1 tsp minced Rosemary
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp all spice
Salt & pepper

In a large pot, add chicken and thyme, cover with water and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 ½ hours. When the chicken easily comes off the bone, it’s done. Give the drumstick a little wiggle to test it. Remove chicken and place in a bowl; set aside and let cool. Remove and discard the thyme stems.

Add lentils, celery, carrots, garlic, parsley, rosemary, bay leaves and all spice to the pot of chicken water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer; cook for about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Shred chicken and add bite sized pieces back to soup. When the lentils are tender, the soup is done.

Serve with a nice crusty bread and enjoy on a cold day!

Note: If you don’t want to cook a whole chicken or don't have the time, use chicken broth and start the recipe where you add the lentils.