Lemony Chicken Soup With Fennel And Dill 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.

SLOW COOKER CREAMY CHICKEN SOUP WITH LEMON, RICE AND DILL

Steps:

• Combine the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and bay leaf in a 5- to 8-quart slow cooker. Pull the skin off half of the thighs and discard it (or save to render the fat at another time). Add the chicken to the slow cooker and top with broth. Season generously with pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt if you are using low-sodium broth or 1 teaspoon salt if using homemade unsalted stock. (Do not add salt now if you are using fully salted broth.) Cover and cook on low for at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours. If it's more convenient, you can let the slow cooker switch to warm after 6 hours. The soup will hold on warm for about another 2 hours before the chicken starts to dry out.
• With a spoon or ladle, skim and discard any obvious foam and fat from the top of the soup. With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and vegetables to a bowl and strain the broth. Discard the vegetables (or if they still have flavor, set them aside for a snack) and let the chicken cool while you finish the soup. Return the broth to the slow cooker, and switch the heat to high. Stir in the rice, cover and let the soup heat up until it is at least steaming hot, or bubbling a bit around the edges, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk the lemon juice, egg yolks and sour cream in a medium bowl until creamy and combined. Dip a liquid measuring cup into the hot broth. While whisking constantly, very slowly drizzle about 2 cups of hot broth into the lemon juice mixture until fully combined and smooth. Pour this mixture into the slow cooker with the rest of the soup and whisk for another minute or so, until the soup starts to thicken enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. Coarsely shred the chicken meat and add it into the soup, discarding the bones and skin. Stir in the dill and taste the soup. Add salt if necessary, and more lemon juice and black pepper if you like. If the soup isn't hot enough, cover and let heat on high for another 10 minutes.