If you ask me, January is the height of soup season. It starts in the fall with pumpkin soup or butternut squash soup. But by January we need chicken soup pretty much weekly either to fend off colds or to help us recover from the ailment de jour. There are many variations, but this Greek version is my personal favorite. I found the recipe on the always wonderful Dinner: A Love Story.
Listen, gang. I love this soup. Soooooo much. And it only takes 15 minutes to make! The recipe below is for a double batch because you're going to want leftovers.
INGREDIENTS
(halve for a single batch)
- 8 cups chicken broth (2 boxes)
- 1/2 cup uncooked orzo
- 6 eggs
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 2 handfuls of chopped fresh dill
- shredded or cubed rotisserie chicken (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot, bring the broth to a boil.Add the orzo and cook until tender but still al dente, about 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low; let simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
Ladle about 2 cups of the hot broth into the egg-and-lemon mixture, whisking to combine. (This step is important!)
Pour the mixture back into the simmering pot. Stir just until the soup becomes opaque and thickens as the eggs cook, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add dill, salt and pepper (to taste), and chicken if you have it, and serve.
It's a really quick dinner. Grab a French baguette and toss together a small green salad and you'll be set. Enjoy!