LEMON IN CHICKEN SOUP RECIPES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth, bouillon cube, rice, carrots, celery and onion.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until rice and vegetables are tender.
• Stir in chicken.
• Remove from heat.
• Then, in a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour until smooth.
• Gradually add 2 cups of broth mixture, cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.
• In a small bowl, beat the eggs until frothy.
• Gradually beat lemon juice and 2 cups thickened broth into the large pot of soup.
• Very slowly add egg mixture into the soup, stirring constantly. Do not do this if your soup is boiling or very hot or your eggs will split. You may want to take the soup off the burner for a few minutes before you add the eggs.
• Heat gently until soup thickens enough to coat a spoon-- do not boil!
• Add salt and pepper to taste, garnish with lemon.

Steps:

• In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine the broth, chicken, celery and rice. Season lightly with salt. (Some broths have more salt than others, so start easy.) Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice starts to break down and lose its shape, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, finely chop together the parsley leaves, lemon zest and up to 1/2 cup celery leaves. Transfer to a small bowl, grate the garlic clove into the bowl, season with salt and stir to combine.
• Using tongs, remove the chicken from the pot and transfer to a medium bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into pieces, then stir it back into the soup. Remove from heat, stir in the butter (if using), and season to taste with salt. Stir in the lemon juice a little at a time until the soup is bright but still tastes like chicken. (You may not use the full 1/2 cup juice.)
• Divide the soup among bowls and top with the parsley-lemon mixture. (The soup, minus the lemon juice and parsley mixture, can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; the rice will absorb liquid as it sits, so add more chicken broth when reheating. Add the lemon juice and fresh herb garnish just before serving.)