Lemon Chicken Soup (Avgolemono)

1. Stage

Cook the chicken: Place the chicken, onion, garlic, celery, carrot, cinnamon, turmeric, bay leaves, stock, and 2 cups (480 ml) hot water in a large saucepan. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked.

2. Stage

Remove and cool chicken, then shred and cook rice: Spoon out the bay leaves and chicken and set aside on a plate to cool. Add the rice to the soup with remaining 2 cups (480ml) hot water. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, use your hands to shred the chicken meat from the bones into very small pieces.

3. Stage

Cook kale and return chicken to pot: After the rice has cooked, add the kale and return the chicken to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes, then take off the heat.

4. Stage

Whisk eggs: In a separate medium sized bowl, whisk together the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice until the mixture is foamy with no streaks remaining.

5. Stage

Temper the eggs: Pour 2 ladles of broth from the saucepan into a cup. Then grab a whisk and slowly add this broth to the bowl of lemony eggs, a couple of tablespoons at a time, whisking constantly. Don’t pour in too much hot broth too quickly, or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs. Increase to a steady stream once you are halfway through, still whisking, until you’ve incorporated all of it. Slowly drizzle the mixture back into the saucepan, whisking the soup constantly as you do so and incorporating it slowly.

6. Stage

Thicken soup: Return the pot to low heat, add the dill, and cook for 5 minutes to allow the soup to thicken. Don’t let it come up to more than a gentle simmer and, if it starts to look a bit too thick, simply loosen it with a bit of hot water.

7. Stage

Finish soup and serve: Finally, taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a bit more lemon juice, herbs, salt, or black pepper to taste. Serve in warmed bowls with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.