Split Pea Chicken Rice Soup is a super easy, one pot dish. Gently spiced, full of classic flavours, healthy and plain delicious.
A bowlful of gently spiced Split Pea Chicken Rice Soup to combat the cold weather that has finally arrived? Yes please. I’ve been longing for this dish and, now the weather has turned, I can officially enjoy it – legitimately – without feeling freaky for eating something so clearly intended to comfort you in the depths of winter when it’s still um… early autumn temperatures outside.
For the record, I love all seasons. Aside from enjoying all the seasonal food on offer, I love the scenery and I truly enjoy watching the countryside around me change through each new season. I don’t get much chance to photograph these scenes though – obviously, you have to be up early to get the best light for landscape photos and young kids & early mornings don’t mix. Hold on, I got that one wrong. Young kids and early mornings, yes, definitely. Scraping myself out of bed extra early to go get that photo, that’s another matter entirely. Give me a few years (and a nice warm duvet for those in-between years).
But let’s not overlook how our cooking can change with the seasons. Winter brings out a need in me to ditch the salads and eat satisfying, wholesome, comforting food. Food such as soup, pies and big bowls of chilli. I have a feeling I was made for winter.
As if the flavours of this Split Pea Chicken Rice Soup weren’t enough to guarantee my happiness, there’s the colour too. Hello there, yellow, I’m not ignoring you (thank you turmeric). But let’s talk about the flavours on offer. It’s classic really, relying on a mix of garlic, ginger and chilli in the base, followed by another familiar combination of cumin, coriander & turmeric. Not exactly rocket science, but damn good stuff all the same.
A scattering of fresh coriander and spring onions is all this Split Pea Chicken Rice Soup needs to finish it off.
- 1 tbsp Groundnut oil
- 1 Small onion – finely chopped
- 1 Leek – finely sliced
- 1 Garlic clove finely chopped
- Ginger (a piece the size of a cherry tomato) – peeled, finely chopped or grated
- 1 Red chilli – deseeded and finely chopped
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- ¼ tsp Ground cumin
- ¼ tsp Ground coriander
- 1 Bay leaf
- 80 g/ 3 oz Yellow split peas
- 1 Skinless chicken breast
- 600 ml/ 2½ cups Stock (vegetable or chicken)
- 125 ml/ ½ cup Coconut milk (half fat is fine)
- 50 g/ 2 oz Cooked rice
- 100 g/ 4 oz Cooked potato – peeled and cubed
- Salt & Pepper
- 2 spring onions – finely sliced
- A handful of coriander leaves
-
In a large saucepan, fry the onion, leek, garlic, ginger and chilli in the groundnut oil over a low-moderate heat for 5 minutes until softened
-
Add the turmeric, cumin, coriander, bay leaf and salt & pepper and fry for a further minute
-
Next add the split peas, chicken breast and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through
-
Take the chicken out and let cool for a few minutes. Continue to cook the soup for a further 20-30 minutes until the split peas are soft but have not broken down
-
Meanwhile, shred the chicken (use a couple of forks to rip it into pieces)
-
Once the soup is ready, add the shredded chicken, rice, potato and the coconut milk. Heat until warmed through then serve garnished with the fresh coriander and spring onion if desired
Thalia @ butter and brioche
How delicious is this soup! Definitely need to make the recipe – it is so perfect for the weather right now!
Nicola
This soup looks delicious! I love the addition of turmeric to soups and it’s full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories so it will keep your immune system going strong all winter! I started following you on pinterest and will make sure to pin this recipe to make later in the depths of winter.
Jane Saunders
Wow, thankyou, Nicola. I’m new to blogging so I really appreciate your positive feedback. It’s nice to know I’m hitting the spot.
Spoonful of Comfort
The perfect recipe for this cold weather. Will surely try this today. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I am sure it’s delicious.
Jane Saunders
Hope you like it – we had plenty over the UK winter. The weather over here is warming up now, so I’ll have to hold out until the autumn to have some more 🙁
swayam
Awesome recipe!! Pinning and will try this out.. Thanks for linking up at #SaucySaturdays
Jane Saunders
Thankyou Swayam. It’s one of our family favourites now, especially in winter (and it’s snowed very slightly today so I think that means I’ll be making a potful soon).
Meghan | Fox and Briar
This soup looks so warm and comforting, perfect for this time of year! Love the coconut milk!
Christine | Mid-Life Croissant
leeks garlic cumin coriander turmeric! So many of my favorite flavors in here. I really need to make more soup. I love it I just never think to make it. Weird! This is the perfect winter for me to change that. Starting with this one.
Jane Saunders
And the beauty is that most of the ingredients you’ll have lying around your kitchen already. I always enjoy this following a roast chicken – it encourages me to boil the bones to make a stock. I need incentive to do that – extra washing up after the Sunday roast and all.
Dini @ The Flavor Bender
This is SUCH a wonderful comforting soup Jane! I love the flavours and I LOVE the sunny yellow from the turmeric too! Definitely need to add this to our winter dinners 😀