Lemon Chicken Soup With Spinach Ricotta Dumplings Recipes

LEMON, CHICKEN AND ORZO SOUP WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, celery, onion, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute.
• Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and stir in the orzo. Cook until the orzo is just tender, about 7 minutes.
• Add the chicken and simmer until heated through. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Remove from the heat and stir in the dill and lemon zest. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with additional dill.

GREEK LEMON CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, lemon juice, carrots, onions, celery, soup base, and white pepper. Bring to a boil on high, then simmer for 20 minutes.
• Blend the butter and the flour together. Then gradually add it to the soup mixture. Simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg yolks until light in color. Gradually add some of the hot soup to the egg yolks, stirring constantly. Return the egg mixture to the soup pot and heat through. Add the rice and chicken. Ladle hot soup into bowls and garnish with lemon slices.

LEMON CHICKEN SOUP WITH SPINACH RICOTTA DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Dumplings -- I make them ahead, because the soup cooks pretty quick. Also, once you make them, put them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes so they firm up. This just makes them easier to cook in the broth.
• In a small bowl, mix up the ricotta, spinach, parmesan, egg, flour, salt and pepper. Dust your hands with flour and roll the ricotta mix into dumplings. I make them about 1/2 the size of a golf ball or small walnut sized. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer. Just about 20-30 minutes as you start the soup. This will help the dumplings to firm up and steam well in the soup.
• Egg Mixture -- In a small sauce pan, bring 1 cup of the broth to a simmer on medium heat. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the lemon juice, flour and eggs and mix well. Once the broth warms up, slowly drizzle 1/2 of the broth, a little at a time into the egg mixture. This will temper the eggs, which means the eggs will warm up to the temperature of the broth and they won't scramble when added into the warm broth. Now, slowly add all the egg mixture back into the rest of the broth in the pot. Then cook the egg and broth mixture on medium heat until slightly thickened. Don't let it boil. Once it thickens, just turn off the heat, this will be added later.
• Soup Base -- In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and bring to medium-medium high heat. Add in the onion, garlic, celery mushrooms and pinch of salt, and saute for 3-4 minutes until tender. Add the broth and bring to a light boil boil for about 5 minutes.
• Dumplings -- Now, depending on the size of your pot you may be able to cook the dumplings all at once, but I don't like to crowd them. I add in 1/2 the dumplings and a time, you don't want to over crowd them and cook 4-5 minutes until done. They will start to float. Remove to a bowl and add the remaining dumplings, cook another 4-5 minutes.
• Finish Soup -- Reduce the temperature of the soup to medium low, and then slowly add the egg mixture to the soup, along with the chicken, cooked orzo, dill and check for seasoning. Add in the dumplings and just heat and serve.
• Serve -- Garnish each bowl or soup with a lemon slice and fresh ground black pepper and ENJOY!

CLASSIC LEMON CHICKEN WITH SAUTEED SPINACH

Steps:

• Squeeze the juice from one and a half lemons and reserve. Cut the remaining half lemon into very thin slices. Remove seeds and set the lemon slices aside.
• Season the chicken scallopini with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour, coating both sides, and tap the excess flour off. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add as many scallopini into the pan that will fit without touching, and cook until golden brown, approximately 3 minutes. Flip and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Remove scallopini and drain on paper towel.
• When done with the scallopini, wipe off the fat from the skillet with paper towels. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, butter, garlic, and lemon juice and slices to the skillet. Cook, scraping the bottom until garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Scoop out the lemon slices and set aside. Add the caper berries and olives and cook, stirring gently for about 4 minutes. Pour in wine and bring to a boil. Cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and boil until slightly syrupy. Return the scallopini to the skillet and coat each piece in the sauce. Add parsley and swirl into sauce.
• Divide scallopini onto separate plates. Spoon the sauce over, and add the caper berries and olives around scallopini. Add some of the spinach on the side. Finish by decorating each plate with reserved lemon slices on top of the scallopini.
• Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Crush garlic cloves with the side of the knife and add to the oil. Cook until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes. Add the spinach in handfuls, and season lightly with salt and pepper, and cover pan. Cook until spinach releases its liquid. Uncover pan, and cook stirring until spinach is wilted and water has evaporated. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper.