Place a chicken* in a large pot and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and skim off the scum from the top.

Add, (all coarsely chopped ) 2 carrots, 1 celery stick, 1 leek, and a bunch of parsley (stalks only). Bring to a boil, and then simmer gently for an hour.

Take out the chicken (draining away any liquid back into the pot) and remove all the meat from the bones you wish to eat. 

Set aside the meat, put the carcass back into the pot and continue simmering for another hour.

Strain the soup.

Option 1: slice up the carrots and add to the soup, along with some shredded chicken, and some fresh dill, finely chopped.

Option 2: 

Add a cube of instant tom yum soup, along with some finely chopped fresh lemongrass and finely chopped kafir lime leaves. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

Add a good glug of coconut milk, and then season with lime juice, Thai fish sauce, and palm sugar to taste. Add some shredded chicken and serve. 

Note: I’ve kept option 2 light on fresh chilli and fresh herbs such as coriander to not aggravate a bad throat/cough but feel free to add.

* Try to find a chicken that still has its neck attached as apparently all the goodness/Jewish penicillin qualities are in that part of the anatomy.