365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (20 page)

2.
In a small bowl, whisk eggs with the lemon juice until blended. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of hot broth. Over low heat, whisk egg mixture back into broth. Cook over low heat, stirring, 2 minutes. Add chicken and heat 1 minute. Stir in dill and season with salt to taste. Garnish each portion with a lemon slice.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 19 to 20 minutes Serves: 6

The saffron lends a rich golden hue to this simple soup. Turmeric, which is an alternative, gives the same color but a less distinctive flavor.

• 4 tablespoons butter
  

• ¼ cup flour
  

• ¼ teaspoon crushed saffron threads or ground turmeric
  

• 8 cups chicken broth
  

• ¼ teaspoon ground mace or grated nutmeg
  

• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
  

• 2 cups half-and-half or light cream
  

• 4 cups cooked cubed chicken (about 1 pound)
  

• Salt
  

• 6 tablespoons chopped chives
  

1.
In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and saffron and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth, mace, and white pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soup base comes to a boil and thickens, about 5 minutes.

2.
Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in half-and-half. Simmer 10 minutes.

3.
Add cubed chicken and season with salt to taste. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until chicken is heated through. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle 1 tablespoon chives over each portion.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 7 minutes Serves: 4

Instead of filled wontons, the wonton skins and other ingredients are added separately here to make a soup that is really quick and easy. Any brand or combination of frozen oriental vegetables will work nicely.

• 6 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  

• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
  

• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  

• 2 cups packaged fresh or frozen mixed oriental vegetables
  

• 6 wonton skins, cut into thin strips
  

• 1 cup thinly sliced cooked chicken
  

• ½ cup thinly sliced scallions
  

1.
In a large saucepan, bring broth, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and oriental vegetables to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.

2.
Add wonton skins and chicken. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in scallions and serve at once.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: none Chill: 1 hour Serves: 4 to 6

• 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, seeded and cut into 2-inch chunks
  

• 4 slices of French bread, torn into pieces
  

• 2garlic cloves
  

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  

• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  

• 4 cups tomato juice or vegetable juice cocktail
  

• 3 cups chicken broth
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  

• ½ teaspoon Tabasco, or more to taste
  

• Salt
  

• 1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
  

• 1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
  

• 1 cucumber, seeded and coarsely chopped
  

• 3 cups diced cooked chicken (about ¾ pound)
  

• 1 cup chick-peas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
  

1.
In a food processor, coarsely puree tomatoes, bread, and garlic. Add vinegar and olive oil and puree until smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl.

2.
Stir tomato juice, broth, basil, Worcestershire, and Tabasco into tomato-bread puree. Season with salt to taste Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, until cold.

3.
Stir in green pepper, onion, cucumber, chicken, and chick-peas. Serve immediately or chill up to 4 hours.

Prep: 10 minutes Chill: 30 minutes Cook: 35 to 45 minutes Serves: 6

Chicken fat is traditional in matzo balls, but the vegetable oil used here is more contemporary, and cooking in broth instead of water adds good flavor.

• 3 eggs
  

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or rendered chicken fat
  

• ¾ cup matzo meal
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 5 quarts chicken broth
  

• 2 cups chopped cooked chicken (optional)
  

1.
In a bowl, whisk together eggs and oil. Stir in matzo meal, salt, and pepper. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of broth. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.

2.
In a 3- or 4-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of broth to a boil. Form dough into rough 1½-inch balls and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer until matzo balls are cooked through and no longer doughy in center, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and use immediately or reserve for up to 4 hours.

3. To serve, heat remaining broth and drop in matzo balls and optional chicken. Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 57 to 59 minutes Serves: 6

Though this is usually a meatless soup, the addition of chicken makes it better and even more nutritious. Thrify Italians add the hard rind from the end of a wedge of Parmesan cheese to enrich the soup.

• 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, in 1 piece, preferably with rind
  

• 1 large onion, chopped
  

• 1 large celery rib, chopped
  

• 1 large carrot, chopped
  

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  

• 1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, with their juices
  

• 6 cups chicken broth
  

• 1
  ½
  pounds chicken thighs
  

• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  

• ¼ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• 1 large potato (about 6 ounces), diced
  

• ½ cup ditali or other small tubular pasta
  

• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, preferably savoy (about 6 ounces)
  

• ½ pound fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  

• 1 (15-ounce) can undrained white cannellini beans
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

1.
Cut rind (if any) from cheese and reserve rind. Grate cheese.

2.
In a large saucepan, cook onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in olive oil over medium heat, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juices, broth, chicken, Italian seasoning, and hot pepper. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.

3.
Remove chicken and let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull meat from bones and tear into bite-sized pieces; discard skin and bones.

4.
Add potato, cheese rind, and pasta to soup. Boil, uncovered, 10 minutes. Add cabbage, green beans, and cannellini beans. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove and discard cheese rind and return chicken to soup. Simmer 2 minutes to heat through. Stir in grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 14 to 16 minutes Serves: 4

• 1 large onion, chopped
  

• 1
  ½
  tablespoons vegetable oil
  

• 1 garlic clove, chopped
  

• 2 (2-ounce) cans chopped green chiles
  

• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper, minced
  

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  

• 6 cups chicken broth
  

• 1 (14½-ounce) can Mexican- style stewed tomatoes
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, sliced
  

• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
  

• 2 teaspoons lime juice Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

• 4 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
  

• 2 cups tortilla chips
  

1.
In a large saucepan, cook onion in oil over medium heat until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, chiles, jalapeño pepper, and cumin. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

2.
Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in shallow bowls, sprinkled with cheese and tortilla chips.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: none Chill: 2 hours Serves: 6

If you like guacamole, you’ll love this almost-instant, cooling summer soup. Serve with a basket of corn tortilla chips on the side.

• 4 ripe avocados, pelled and pitted
  

• ¼ cup lime juice
  

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  

• 4 cups chicken broth
  

• 3 cups half-and-half or light cream
  

• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  

• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin Salt
  

• 1
  ½
  cups bottled chunky salsa
  

• 2 cups diced cooked chicken