01/05/2012
This recipe is an old standby of mine, and it was one of the lucky recipes that got to come with me on my Paleo adventure.
It’s just like grandma used to make, only with a twist. The piney green of the rosemary tap dances with the lemon tang and the result? Heaven in your mouth. And your tummy. This soup is super soothing, especially if you use homemade broth.
I like to thicken this a bit with some arrowroot powder. Feel free to use another thickener if you prefer, or just omit it if you’d like. Your soup will be just as delicious without it.
Lemon-Rosemary Chicken Soup
2 Tbsp. pastured butter, coconut oil, or cooking fat of choice
1 1/2 – 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped (or some shredded leftover roast chicken, which is what I had here, add it with the rosemary and garlic below)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 onion, diced (pearl onions are also nice)
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2-3 handfuls baby spinach (didn’t have for these photos)
1 Tbsp. rosemary leaves, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 cups chicken broth (bonus points for homemade)
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1) Melt butter or oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with S&P, and sauté until golden in spots. Add onions, mushrooms, carrots, and celery and cook until onions are translucent, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in spinach until wilted. Add rosemary and garlic, stirring until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add chicken broth (reserving 1/4 cup) just to cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer soup for 20-25 minutes.
2) When almost ready to serve, add lemon zest and juice. Whisk arrowroot powder into reserved 1/4 cup broth until smooth and stir into soup. Allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes more. Serve it up!
Serves 4-6.
This sounds lovely! Have you ever froze this? (Thinking of making a big batch…)
Thanks! I haven’t, but I would guess that if you’re going to use the thickener, I would freeze it without and then add it when it’s heated up. As mentioned, this would be just fine without any thickener. The original recipe had some, so for me, it’s a psychological necessity. :)
What a lovely soup!