Clean recipe · heavenlyhomecooking.com
Mediterranean Lemon Chicken Soup Recipe
This Mediterranean lemon chicken soup has chicken thighs, orzo, vegetables, baby spinach, and fresh dill in a bright, silky lemon broth. An egg-lemon finish creates a creamy texture without cream or flour.
Original recipe: heavenlyhomecooking.com
- Yield:
- 6 servings
- Prep:
- 20 min
- Cook:
- 30 min
- Total:
- 50 min
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Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken thighs (boneless, skinless )
- 1¼ teaspoons Morton kosher salt (divided (Note 1))
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (divided)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion (diced (about 1½ cups))
- 2 medium carrots (scrubbed and diced or sliced into thin half-moons (about 1 cup). Peeling is optional.)
- 2 ribs celery (diced (about ¾ cup))
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock ((Note 2))
- ¾ cup uncooked orzo ((Note 3))
- 3 cups baby spinach (packed cups)
- 3 large eggs ((Note 4))
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (¼ cup)
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (plus more for serving)
Instructions
- Season the 1½ pounds chicken thighs on both sides with 0.75 teaspoons Morton kosher salt and 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the 1 medium yellow onion (diced), 2 medium carrots(diced), <wprm-ingredient uid="7" removed="0">2 ribs celery (diced), remaining 0.5 teaspoons Morton kosher salt, and remaining 0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften but are not browned.
- Add the 3 cloves garlic (minced) and 1 teaspoon dried oregano. Cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
- Add the 1 bay leaf and 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock. Nestle the chicken thighs into the broth.Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Partially cover and cook for approximately 12–15 minutes, or until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 170–175 F (77–79 C).
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, leaving the broth in the pot. (Note 5)
- Bring the broth back to a gentle boil. Stir in the ¾ cup uncooked orzo and cook according to the package directions, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until just shy of al dente, approximately 7–9 minutes.
- Meanwhile, shred or chop the chicken into bite-size pieces.
- Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the 3 cups baby spinach and cook for about 1 minute, until just wilted.
- Whisk the 3 large eggs and 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice together in a large heatproof bowl until completely combined.Using a ladle, carefully collect about ½ cup of hot broth from the pot, leaving behind as much of the spinach, vegetables, and orzo as possible. Slowly pour the broth into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.Repeat with additional ½-cup portions until you've incorporated approximately 2 cups of broth.Add the hot broth gradually and keep whisking. This process, called tempering, gently warms the eggs so they blend smoothly into the soup instead of scrambling. (Note 6)
- Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the pot while stirring continuously. Return the shredded chicken to the soup.Keep the heat on low and warm the soup gently, stirring frequently, until it reaches 160 F (71 C) on an instant-read thermometer. Do not let the soup boil, as excessive heat can cause the eggs to curdle.
- Turn off the heat. Stir in the 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Remove the bay leaf, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper, if needed.
- Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with additional fresh dill and freshly cracked black pepper. Add a light drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.