Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 1 small chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds) cut into 8 parts
  • 1 carrot, chunked
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced into thirds
  • 1/2 bunch parsley, washed
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 12 cups cold water
  • 8 cups of homemade or store-bought chicken broth
  • 3 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 1/2 or 2 lemons)
  • 3 1/2 cups cooked white rice
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instruction

  • (For the quick version, skip this step and use store-bought chicken broth and rotisserie chicken) Put the chicken, carrot, onion, celery, parsley, and salt in a large Dutch oven or stock pot. Add 12 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered. After 10 minutes, skim the white solids that rise to the top. (this will ensure a clearer broth) Simmer gently for an hour more. Remove the chicken from the pot. Take the meat off the bones. Shred or cut into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Pour the soup and vegetables through a strainer, reserving the broth. (The cooked vegetables will not be needed for this recipe). Using a large spoon, skim the fat that pools on top of the broth. If you have time to make a broth a day early, a night in the fridge makes it easy to remove the fat. The fat becomes a thin hard layer, sitting on top. Return 8 cups of chicken broth to the pot and heat to a simmer before continuing.
  • Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a small bowl until fully mixed. While whisking, slowly drizzle one cup of hot broth into the egg-lemon mixture. Then pour egg-lemon-soup mixture into the heated pot of broth while whisking to combine. Reheat gently but don't allow the soup to boil or the eggs will curdle.
  • Scoop 1/2 to 3/4 cup of hot rice into the bottom of each soup bowl. Add some shredded chicken. Pour in 1 to 1 1/2 cups of broth. Season, to taste, with salt and fresh ground pepper. Garnish with a lemon slice and some parsley, if you like. Enjoy!