By Perre Coleman Magness, The Runaway Spoon
Greek lemon and rice soup
2 bone-in, skin-on whole chicken breasts
8 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup basmati rice
3/4 cup lemon juice (from 5–6 lemons)
2 cups diced, cooked chicken
1 carrot
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
Salt to taste
For the stock
1. Place everything but the lemon is a large stock pot and cover with 12 cups of water. Squeeze the juice from the lemon and reserve for finishing the soup. Drop the juiced lemon skins in the pot and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pot and simmer for 4 hours. Remove the chicken and set aside.
2. Strain the stock through a colander lined with damp cheesecloth. Skim any fat from the surface of the stock. The stock can be made up to one day ahead. Cover and refrigerate (if you do this before straining the fat, it will solidify and be easier to remove before proceeding). Pull the chicken meat from the bones, discarding the skin, and refrigerate as well.
For the soup
1. Measure out 1-1/2 cups of the chicken stock and pour it into a small pan. Pour the rice into a small fine mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear. Add the rice to the stock in the small and bring to a boil. When most of the liquid has cooked away and there are just a few bubbles and air pockets on the rice, remove the pot from the heat, cover with a tea towel and a tight fitting lid. Leave for 15 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
2. Pour the remaining broth into a large soup pot (there should be between 7–8 cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Stir in the lemon juice. Add the diced chicken. Peel the carrot and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Add it to the soup with the oregano, rosemary and cooked rice. Simmer until everything is heated through, taste and add salt as needed.
Read the full post, including a recipe for chive muffins, on Stir It Up!
