Comforting chicken and vegetable soup

1 Chop the onion and garlic and cut the carrot, potato and kumara into 2cm dice.

2 Gently fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes until soft. Add the carrot, potato and kumara and fry for 10 minutes or so. Add the stock and pepper and bring to the boil. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.

3 Remove the chicken from the pot and leave to cool for a few minutes. Add the broccoli, pasta and spinach to the pot and bring back to the boil. Shred the chicken breasts and add the meat back into the pot. Cook until the pasta is done and the broccoli is tender but still has its green colour.

4 Remove from the heat, add the pesto and stir through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread.