Greek Lemon Chicken and Brown Rice Soup

Ingredients

0 of 13 out on the counter

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 medium celery stalks, sliced
• 2 medium carrots, diced small
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 bay leaves (removed before serving)
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• ¾ cup long-grain brown rice, dry
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup fresh lemon juice, from about 2½ lemons
• ½ cup fresh dill sprigs, chopped

All set! Everything is out. Time to bake.

Method

1. 1Warm the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, celery and carrots 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion looks soft and clear.
2. 2Pour in the broth and add the bay leaves, salt and pepper. Bring it to a full boil, then stir in the brown rice, turn the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 25 minutes.
3. 3Lay the whole chicken breasts in the pot, cover and simmer 15 minutes more. Lift one out and cut into the thickest part: it is done when no pink is left and a thermometer reads 165 °F. Lift all the chicken to a board and let it cool a few minutes, then shred it with two forks. The rice should be tender but chewy; if it is not, simmer a few minutes more.
4. 4Return the shredded chicken to the pot and take out the bay leaves. Keep the soup at a gentle simmer, with a few small bubbles at the edge.
5. 5Make the lemon-egg liaison in a large heatproof bowl: whisk the 3 eggs until frothy, then whisk in the ½ cup lemon juice. Ladle in ½ cup of hot broth, whisking the whole time. Repeat three more times, 2 cups of broth in all. The warmed eggs will not scramble when they meet the pot.
6. 6Turn the heat under the pot to low. Pour the liaison in slowly, stirring. Keep stirring over low heat until a thermometer in the broth reads 160 °F (HHS/USDA/FDA/CDC: egg dishes go to 160 °F), about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let it boil; a boil can make the egg curdle in threads (our kitchen practice: no held claim on this). The soup turns pale gold and a little thicker.
7. 7Take the pot off the heat and stir in the dill. Serve at once in warm bowls.
8. 8Cool leftovers no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is above 90 °F out, then refrigerate. Reheat gently to 165 °F, stirring, without a boil.