Ardolino Style Chicken Soup Recipes

GREEK AVGOLEMONO CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse the chicken and remove any organs that may be inside. Place in a pot large enough for the chicken to move around, but not too much room or the broth will be watery. Add the chicken neck if that is included with your chicken. Fill with enough water to cover by about 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil. When boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, skimming the fat from the top as it collects.
• When the chicken is done, the meat should pull from the bones easily. Transfer the bird to a large bowl and set aside to cool. Add the rice, and season the broth with salt and pepper. Simmer over low heat for 20 more minutes, or until rice is tender.
• Whisk the eggs with the lemon juice in a bowl. When the rice is done, turn off the heat. Whisk one ladle full of hot broth into the eggs slowly so the eggs do not curdle. Gradually whisk in more broth until the egg mixture is heated. Then pour the egg mixture back into the pot, whisking briskly. The result should be a creamy, cloudy looking soup. You may season with additional salt, pepper or lemon juice at this point.
• You may add pieces of chicken to the soup before serving or serve soup with salted chicken on the side.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP AKA AVGOLEMONO

Steps:

• In a large stockpot, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the chicken breasts and then lower to a simmer. Simmer until the chicken is just cooked through and the internal temperature registers 160 degrees F, 15 to 20 minutes; remove to a bowl. Once cooled, shred the chicken and reserve.
• Add the orzo or rice to the pot with the chicken stock and cook until al dente, 5 to 8 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and most of the lemon juice, reserving some to add later as needed. Fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites. Once combined, ladle in some hot stock to temper the egg mixture, whisking constantly and adding the hot liquid slowly. Very slowly, add the warm whipped egg/lemon mixture into the pot, whisking constantly to prevent any curds or clumps from forming. Continue to cook over medium-low to medium heat, whisking, until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more.
• Add the shredded chicken and any reserved juices to the soup. Add the lemon zest and season with salt and plenty of freshly cracked black pepper. Taste and add additional lemon juice if needed. Garnish with chopped parsley.

CAPELLINI SOUP WITH RICH CHICKEN BRODO

Steps:

• Generously season each piece of chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat until it begins to smoke. Carefully add chicken pieces in a single layer, skin side down, to brown each piece. After about 8 minutes, turn each piece and brown them on the second side. When the chicken pieces are a deep brown on both sides, place the onions, celery, and carrots in the pot and cook until deeply browned, about 15 minutes, stirring only occasionally.
• Add the mushrooms, if using. Add the wine and bay leaves. With a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to remove any caramelized bits. Cook over high heat until about 1/4 cup of wine remains, about 5 minutes. Add the water. When the water comes up to a simmer, skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the top. Lower heat to maintain a simmer, but do not let the broth boil.
• Simmer the broth uncovered for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, occasionally skimming any foam and impurities that rise to the top. The chicken meat will be tender and falling off of the bone. Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and reserve. Pour the broth through a colander lined with a tea towel (or a triple thickness cheese cloth) and set over a large, clean pot (or strain the broth into a large bowl and return the broth to the pot). Discard the vegetables. You should have about 8 cups of broth. Keep the broth warm. Taste and season really well (this is a simple dish that requires plenty of salt and pepper).
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the chicken meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Place the shredded chicken in a large bowl.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 5 minutes, until just shy of al dente, and then drain it through a colander. Pour the warm pasta directly into the bowl with the shredded chicken. Add the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and stir. Add 1 cup of reserved broth to moisten the mixture.
• Mix well and divide evenly among 8 serving bowls. Ladle 1 cup of warm broth into the bowl. Scatter some Parmesan over each bowl of soup. Pass chili flakes for extra flavor. Serve warm with both a spoon and a fork.