INGREDIENTS
3 carrots - peeled and chopped into chunks
3 medium-sized potatoes - peeled and chopped into small chunks3 medium-sized potatoes - peeled and chopped into small chunks
2 sticks of celery - sliced2 sticks of celery - sliced
a good pinch of salt and pepper good pinch of salt and pepper
2 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme2 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
850 ml chicken stock - water plus 3 stock cubes is fine850 ml chicken stock - water plus 3 stock cubes is fine
3 tbsp butter3 tbsp butter
1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped1 large onion - peeled and finely chopped
6 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour6 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
300 ml milk (half or full fat)300 ml milk (half or full fat)
3 cooked chicken breasts - shredded (or use the meat from a shop-bought rotisserie chicken)3 cooked chicken breasts - shredded (or use the meat from a shop-bought rotisserie chicken)
2 tbsp lemon juice2 tbsp lemon juice
250 g pack of fresh tortellini - I used Giovanni Rana Ham and Cheese tortellini250 g pack of fresh tortellini - I used Giovanni Rana Ham and Cheese tortellini
A few sprigs of fresh thyme few sprigs of fresh thyme
INSTRUCTIONS
Add the carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, and stock to a large saucepan. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 15 minutes and then turn off the heat.
Take another large saucepan and add in the butter and onions. Heat on medium and cook the onion for about 5-6 minutes until soft. Add in the flour and mix it into the onions and butter using a balloon whisk. It should form into a creamy paste (or roux). Allow the roux to cook for a minute whilst stirring with your whisk, then add in a ladle of the stock from the chicken broth (try to get mostly stock - not the veggies). Stir the broth into the mixture using your whisk. Repeat this until you have ladled out most of the stock from the veggie pan (leaving the veggies behind). Then pour in the milk. Heat through whilst stirring with the whisk. The sauce should thicken slightly as it's heating.
Once the sauce is almost at boiling (don't let it boil) add in the veggies and the shredded cooked chicken. Bring back to almost boiling and add in half the lemon juice. Give it a stir and taste. Add the rest of the lemon juice if needed.
Add the fresh tortellini and heat through for 2-5 minutes (depending on the size of the tortellini) until hot inside.
Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle on some fresh thyme, then serve.