Sweet Potato Soup with Orange and Chicken: A Comforting Family Recipe

Orange-fleshed sweet potato gives this soup a deep colour and a slightly sweet flavour that pairs beautifully with rosemary and a splash of orange juice. It is a simple one-pot recipe that makes good use of leftover roast chicken and goes down well with adults and children alike.

Why this soup is worth making

Sweet potato is a versatile and filling root vegetable. The orange-fleshed variety is rich in beta-carotene, the pigment the body converts into vitamin A, and it also provides fibre, potassium and carbohydrates that are absorbed more gradually than simple sugars. Combined with aromatic vegetables, a little protein and olive oil, it makes a complete, balanced meal.

If you cannot find the orange variety, the recipe works just as well with white- or purple-fleshed sweet potato. The final colour changes, but the result is still delicious.

• Difficulty: easy
• Preparation: 15 minutes
• Cooking: 25 to 30 minutes
• Servings: 4 to 6 bowls

Ingredients

• 600 g orange-fleshed sweet potato (about 2 medium ones), peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped (about 80 g)
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or half a teaspoon dried rosemary)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (about 30 ml)
• 150 g roast chicken, shredded, skin removed
• 250 ml freshly squeezed orange juice (roughly 3 oranges)
• 1.2 to 1.5 litres boiling water or homemade vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent.
2. Add the garlic and rosemary and stir for 1 minute, without letting the garlic darken too much, or it will turn bitter.
3. Add the shredded chicken followed by the sweet potato cubes. Stir everything for 2 to 3 minutes so the vegetables take on the flavours of the base.
4. Pour in the orange juice and let it bubble for 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Add the boiling water or stock, partially cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is very soft when pierced with a fork.
6. Season with salt and pepper. For a creamy texture, lift out the chicken with a slotted spoon, blend the rest with a hand blender and return the chicken to the pot. For a more rustic soup, simply mash part of the sweet potato with a fork.
7. Adjust the seasoning and serve piping hot.

Tips for a better result

• Even cubes: cutting the sweet potato into regular pieces ensures it cooks evenly, so you avoid a soup with some raw chunks and others falling apart.
• The right amount of orange juice: orange brightens the flavour, but too much makes the soup sour. The first time, start with 150 ml and taste before adding more.
• Go easy on salt: if you use ready-seasoned stock or salted roast chicken, taste the soup before salting. Herbs such as rosemary, thyme or parsley help reduce the need for salt.
• Thickness: if the soup is too thick once blended, add hot water a little at a time; if it is too thin, let it boil uncovered for another 5 minutes.
• To serve: a drizzle of raw olive oil, a little orange zest or a few toasted pumpkin seeds on top add texture and aroma.

Variations and storage

This recipe adapts easily to whatever you have in the fridge. A few ideas:

• Vegetarian version: replace the chicken with 200 g of cooked chickpeas or white beans and use vegetable stock.
• Other vegetables: swap half the sweet potato for carrot or pumpkin; the soup stays just as colourful and becomes slightly lighter.
• A little heat: a pinch of grated ginger or smoked paprika in the base gives a more intense flavour.
• For little ones: set aside a portion before seasoning with salt and pepper and blend it until smooth.

Once cooled, the soup keeps in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen in individual portions for about 3 months; thaw it in the fridge overnight and bring it to the boil before serving.

In summary

This sweet potato soup with orange and chicken is a practical way to prepare a nourishing meal from simple ingredients. In about 40 minutes you have a pot that feeds the whole family, uses up leftovers and can be adapted into vegetarian or milder versions for children. Just cut the vegetables evenly, measure the orange carefully and adjust the salt at the end.