Lemon Chicken Spinach Soup

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds chicken thighs (680 g)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (14 g)
• 1 yellow onion, diced (180 g)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (9 g)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (6 g)
• 6 cups chicken broth (1440 g)
• 3 cups cauliflower rice (300 g)
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped (400 g)
• 3 cups baby spinach (90 g)
• 2 large eggs, beaten (100 g)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (60 g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped dill (8 g)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt (6 g)

Instructions

1. Brown the chicken pieces. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium. Add chicken in one layer and leave the first sides in contact with the pot until golden. Turn, cook until the centers reach 165°F (74°C), and transfer to a bowl. Keep the browned residue for the broth.
2. Bloom the citrus base. Add onion to the pot and cook until translucent, scraping loose the golden patches. Stir in garlic and lemon zest just until fragrant. Pour in broth, bring it to a lively simmer, and add cauliflower rice. Cook until the small pieces are nearly tender.
3. Stage the green vegetables. Add zucchini and simmer until its center yields lightly but the green edge still looks firm. Return chicken and any collected juices. Fold in spinach only until the leaves collapse. Lower the burner so the surface moves gently rather than boiling hard.
4. Temper the lemon finish. Whisk eggs and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly whisk in two ladles of hot broth, then stream the mixture back into the pot while stirring. Keep the soup below a boil until slightly silky. Add dill, taste for salt, and divide solids evenly before ladling broth.

Notes

• Ingredient size affects timing, so favor even cuts while allowing naturally irregular arrangement.
• The decisive finished cue is opaque cooked chicken, zucchini with firm green edges, and a smooth broth after tempering; wait for it before adding the final garnish.
• Refrigerate for 4 days and reheat portions gently, keeping fresh dill separate until serving.

Nutrition Facts