Chicken Lemon Rice Soup

The homemade chicken stock really sets this recipe apart from other recipes that require a store-bought stock. Please note that the fat, cholesterol, and sodium totals show up much higher here than they actually are in the soup because a fair amount of these things (like fat and skin) get discarded in creating the stock.

• Ready In: 8 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1  lb chicken thigh, bone-in
• 1  teaspoon olive oil
• 4  cups water
• 2  large carrots, chopped
• 4  ounces onions, chopped
• 1  teaspoon rosemary
• 1  teaspoon thyme
• 1  tablespoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 cup rice, uncooked
• 4  tablespoons lemon juice
• 2  large eggs
• 1  tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped

Directions

1. Peel the skin from the chicken thighs and set aside. Cut and remove the bone from each thigh and set aside. Cut and remove excess fat and discard. Store thigh meat in a sealed container and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Place chicken skin, bones, and other remains in a large pot. Add carrots, onion, rosemary, thyme, and salt. and add enough water to cover everything, about 5 cups. Simmer for at least 4 hours.
3. Strain solid ingredients through a fine-mesh sieve into a container that can have a sealed lid. Allow to cool somewhat on the counter, then move to the refrigerator.
4. Cool for at least 4 hours, until the fat separates from the stock. Use a spoon or paper towel to remove excess fat from the top of the stock.
5. Heat up stock on the stove over medium heat for a few minutes. If necessary, pour through a sieve again. The broth will be cloudy, which is totally normal.
6. Bring stock to a boil, then add rice. Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is softened.
7. Add the oil to a pan on medium heat. Cut the chicken into half-inch chunks and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken on both sides until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside and cover until ready to use.
8. Whisk eggs and lemon juice in a separate container. Stream a few ounces of the stock to the mixture while whisking to prevent scrambling of the eggs. Continue adding stock until about a cup of mixture is created. Reintroduce the mixture to the pot in the same way, streaming while mixing.
9. Raise temperature on the pot to medium heat. Add chicken and chopped dill and stir to distribute evenly. Add salt and pepper if needed to season.