Low-Carb Soul Food Chicken Meatball Soup

Ingredients makes 4 servings

• Chicken meatballs:
• 2 chicken breasts (450 g/ 1 lb)
• ¹/₂ brown onion, cut into wedges (35 g/ 1.2 oz)
• 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree (15 g/ 0.5 oz)
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• ¹/₂ tsp sea salt
• ¹/₄ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp ghee (15 ml)
• Soup:
• 2 tbsp ghee, butter or coconut oil (30 ml)
• ¹/₂ brown onion, chopped (35 g/ 1.2 oz)
• 2 medium celery sticks, chopped (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 2 medium carrots, chopped (120 g/ 4.2 oz)
• 6 cups chicken stock (1.5 L/ 34 fl oz)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• ¹/₂ tsp sea salt, or to taste
• ¹/₄ tsp cracked black pepper, or to taste
• 2 cups chopped kale (100 g/ 3.5 oz)
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley
• Optional: few sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C/ 355 °F (fan assisted) or 200 °C/ 390 °F (conventional).

2. Make the meatballs by placing all the chicken meatball ingredients in a food processor and blitzing until combined.

3. Roll into small meatballs. The mix should make 16-20 meatballs in total (about 28 g/ 1 oz each).

4. Place the chicken meatballs on a greaseproof lined baking tray. Brush with 1 tablespoon of melted ghee. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes until cooked through and golden.
   Note: If you are short on time, skip the baking and simply add the raw meatballs to the soup after you pour in the stock (step 6).

5. Meanwhile, prepare the soup. Melt the butter in a pan and fry the onion, celery and carrot on a medium-low heat for 4–5 minutes, or until they start to soften.

6. Add the stock, thyme and season. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.

7. Add the kale for 1–2 minutes until it softens.

8. Taste, adjust seasoning as required. Stir through fresh parsley and top with chicken meatballs.

   Enjoy hot or let it cool down. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or frozen for 3 months.