Comfort Essentials Lemony Chicken Fennel Soup Recipes

LEMONY CHICKEN SOUP WITH FENNEL AND DILL

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
• Working in batches, add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until skin is well browned and fat has started to render, 5 to 8 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken and continue to cook until well browned, another 3 to 5 minutes. Leaving all the fat and drippings behind, transfer chicken to a rimmed baking sheet, a large plate or a cutting board and let rest.
• Meanwhile, if you've got the top of the fennel bulb, thinly slice it, fronds and all; set aside.
• Coarsely chop the white part of the fennel bulb and add to the pot along with the garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened but not yet browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Add potatoes, chopped lemon and chiles, and stir to coat.
• Return chicken to the pot and add broth, seasoning with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and place the lid on the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook at a strong simmer until chicken is cooked through and nearly falling off the bone, 20 to 25 minutes. Using tongs, remove chicken and let rest until it's cool enough to handle. Pick the meat from the chicken, removing any cartilage, skin and bones. (Alternatively, leave the chicken pieces intact and serve that way.)
• Return meat to the pot along with the thinly sliced fennel top, if using. Season the soup with salt and pepper, turn the heat to medium-low and continue to gently simmer while you make the toasted fennel seed topping.
• Heat remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a small pot or skillet over medium. Add fennel seed and half of the fresh dill, and swirl until fennel seed is toasted and dill is sizzling and crispy, about 2 minutes.
• Divide soup among bowls, and spoon fennel seed topping over it, followed by scallions and remaining fresh dill. Add a dollop of yogurt or sour cream (or crumbles of feta) and sprinkle with sumac, if you like. Zest the remaining lemon over the bowls, then cut lemon in half to squeeze juice over them too.

COMFORT ESSENTIALS: LEMONY CHICKEN FENNEL SOUP

Steps:

• 1. PREP/PREPARE
• 2. For this recipe I am using leftover chicken from a recipe I made the other day. It is a combination of dark and white meat. If you do not have any leftover chicken, then you need to cook up a few pieces. How about one or two medium boneless, skinless breasts, and a thigh or two... does not matter what you choose, just wind up with about 2 pounds of shredded chicken.
• 3. Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• 4. Zest the lemon, then remove the white pith, and chop up the pulp. Discard the seeds and pith... Save the chopped lemon pulp and zest.
• 5. Add the grapeseed oil and butter to a soup pot over medium heat, then add the fennel, carrot, celery, onion, and garlic. Stir until the veggies begin to soften, about 3 - 5 minutes.
• 6. Add the lemon zest, and pulp, then stir for an additional 3 - 5 minutes.
• 7. Add the dill and stir for an additional 3 - 5 minutes.
• 8. Add the chicken stock, and the chicken, then allow the soup to simmer for an additional 3 - 5 minutes.
• 9. While the soup is simmering, season it with salt, pepper, and red-pepper flakes.
• 10. PLATE/PRESENT
• 11. Serve while nice and warm with a dollop of sour cream; possibly some crackers and/or crusty bread. Enjoy.
• 12. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

COMFORT ESSENTIALS: LEMONY CHICKEN & RICE SOUP

Steps:

• PREP/PREPARE
• You will need a medium-sized soup pot, or Dutch oven to make this recipe.
• The Veggies If you do not wish to chop the veggies, simply place into a food processor, fitted with an S-blade, and give them a few 1-second pulses. Easy/Peasy
• The Garlic I tried this recipe two ways... In the first attempt, I allowed the grated garlic to cook with veggies at the beginning of the recipe. In the second attempt, I add the garlic at the end with the lemon juice. I love the how the flavor of the raw garlic mixed with the other ingredients.
• The Lemon Juice Some people like more lemon juice than the recipe calls for, and some people less. I would add it 1-tablespoon at a time and stop when you like what you taste.
• Storage This soup can be placed in the fridge for 2 - 3 days; however, since the rice will continue to absorb liquid, you will probably need to add a bit more stock when reheating.
• Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
• Cook the chicken and shred.
• Add the butter to a large soup pot, over medium heat.
• When the butter has melted add the veggies and the parsley flakes, throw in a pinch of salt, and sweat for about 5 minutes, then add the rice, and the chicken stock.
• Slowly simmer until the veggies are cooked through, and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Then add the cooked, shredded chicken and stir to warm through, about 2 additional minutes.
• While the soup is simmering, add a bit more salt, and black pepper, to taste.
• Remove from the heat, add the lemon juice, grated garlic, then stir to combine.
• PLATE/PRESENT
• Serve while nice and warm with some crispy bread, and possibly a side salad. Enjoy.
• Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH FENNEL AND LEMON

Steps:

• Zest lemon and slice zest into matchsticks. Juice lemon, strain and reserve.
• Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt. Put deep frying pan over medium-high heat, pour in oil and gently sauté chicken breasts, about two minutes per side, until they are about half-cooked. Remove from pan.
• Pour off oil and discard, then add fennel, wine and lemon zest to pan. Bring to boil over high heat and cook until wine is reduced by about half and fennel is tender. Add broth and cinnamon, bring to boil and cook about 5 minutes to reduce sauce a bit.
• Add chicken with its juices and cook for 2 or 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat egg yolks with half the lemon juice (about 1 tablespoon), then ladle in about 1/4 cup of sauce. Mix well, then add to pan, mixing well. Cook over medium heat, stirring a bit, until sauce appears creamy. Taste and add more lemon juice, if you like.

CREAMY CHICKEN SOUP WITH FENNEL AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sear until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Reduce heat to medium. Pour vermouth into the pan and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• Add fennel; cook and stir for 3 minutes. Add parsley, lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 10 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove chicken to a plate to cool.
• Add broth, mushrooms, buttermilk, heavy cream, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven. Bring to a simmer. Keep hot, but do not boil.
• When chicken is cooled, tear into pieces and return to the pot. Cook until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN AND ORZO SOUP WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Combine chicken broth, salt, and pepper in a large soup pot; bring to a boil over high heat. Add carrots, fennel, and orzo; return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until orzo and vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chicken; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
• Remove pot from heat; stir in lemon juice and dill.