Chicken is a classic protein for soup-making, and the Greek version, with plenty of lemon flavor and creamy beaten eggs, takes it up a notch. It’s a go-to for those days when the weather is just a bit dreary, and you need a pick-me-up.
Ingredients
2 chicken thighs
2 chicken drumsticks
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 celery, roughly chopped
1/4 cup roughly chopped leek
1/4 cup roughly chopped onion
1/4 cup short-grain rice
4 cups water
1 tbsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
Juice of 1 lemon
Remove the skin from all but one of the chicken pieces. The skin will act as the fat needed. Boil the chicken in water with the salt, onion, carrot, celery, and leek until the liquid reduces to half (approximately 30 minutes). Remove the chicken and the vegetables and set aside. Add the rice and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until tender. Debone the chicken and cut the meat into small pieces. The vegetables can be set aside in a bowl for anyone who wants to add them to their soup.
Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites in a metal bowl (this will make it easier to see if they are tempered when adding stock). Add the yolks and lemon and beat well.
For this next part, you may want some help. While continuing to beat the egg, slowly drip in some stock until it warms up. Do not pour too much stock in at once or stop beating, as it may “cook” the egg. Once the egg is completely tempered, add the egg-soup mixture to the remaining soup and roll the pot back and forth to distribute the egg throughout. Add the chicken pieces and roll the pot again.
Makes 4-6 servings.
Patataki 