Greek style Roasted Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice

We are loving Colorado. It is gorgeous, so much so that driving home from Whole foods today I am still snapping photos of the Mountains at red lights. It really takes my breath away.

We have a backyard here with a grill, a far cry from the high-rise city-esque condo we were used too. Needless to say hubby has been grilling almost every single meal. Even in SNOW!

But the weather is really lovely, there may be snow on the ground but that sun is so hot you are almost tempted to put the air on. Crazy I know.

I received my first magazine to our new house today, one of my favorites..Martha Stewart LIVING.

She had this AMAZING looking soup recipe that called for roasting a whole chicken while cracking breast bones and laying them out just so, and it seemed extremely complicated.

I used the recipe as a guide to create one of the best soups I've ever eaten, accompanying probably the best pork chop I've ever had. GRILLED of course!

----side note---

I am really trying to stick to locally produced non-gmo groceries. You can read about GMO's HERE

You need:

1 package of chicken breast tenderloins ( it's what I had on hand, feel free to use any cut of chicken you like the best)

1 cup diced carrots

2 large celery stalks

1 full carton chicken broth and 2 additional cups

1 cup water

2 Lemons(meyer pref.)

2 Bay Leaves

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 large yellow onion cut into big chunks

salt and pepper to taste

2 egg yolks

With a 375 degree oven. Slice your lemons into quarters, skin side down on a cookie sheet. Roast for 15 minutes or until skins are charred and fruit looks puffed and juicy.

While your lemons are roasting( and might I add making your kitchen smell AMAZING) Add your chicken, broth, carrots, celery, peppercorns, bay leaves and water in a heavy bottom pot on medium low heat and bring to a boil.

Your chicken will produce little white floating pieces of rendered fat, just skim the top as you go along. 

When your lemons are done, squeeze the quarters of 1 lemon into your broth and throw in the rinds as well.

Simmer and cover for 45-60 minutes depending on how soft you like your veggies.

Strain your broth to remove peppercorns, bay leaves and most of the onion and the lemon rinds. Shred the chicken or slice into bite size pieces. By this time your chicken will practically fall apart on its own. Add your chicken back into your broth and let simmer on the lowest setting while you cook your rice.

1 cup long grain rice should be cooked with 1.5 cups of water on low heat for 18 minutes.

Once the rice is finished, take your egg yolks and the juice of the other lemon quarters and whisk into the broth. Turn the heat up slightly just to cook the yolks a bit. Continue to whisk while the soup gets to serving temperature.

Add in rice before serving. Sprinkle a touch of parsley on top and Enjoy :)