1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the bacon, chicken and onions, and cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Increase the heat and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring the ingredients occasionally and turning the chicken once, until the chicken is pale golden-brown in colour.
2. Add the potatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the stock, then add the thyme and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and leave to simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Remove and chop the meat and discard the bone, if necessary. Return the chicken meat to the soup. Stir in the milk and reheat the soup gently without boiling.
4. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with chopped parsley or parsley and thyme and serve.

Herbed chicken and potato soup variations: For a smooth result, you can purée the soup in a blender or food processor in step 3 after the chicken has been replaced. • For a winter vegetable soup use 800 g mixed diced leeks (use both the white and pale green parts), carrot and turnip instead of the onions and potatoes. Finely chop the green tops from the leeks, and add them to the soup with the milk at the end of cooking, for extra colour.

preparation time 20 mins
cooking time 50 mins
serves 4

PER SERVING

250 calories
18 g protein
9 g total fat
2 g saturated fat
37 mg cholesterol
24 g total carbohydrate
10 g sugars
3 g fibre
837 mg sodium

Onions contain a phytochemical called allicin, which is believed to help reduce the risk of cancer and also of blood clots forming, thereby helping to prevent coronary heart disease.