Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon

Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon

In an effort to spend more time with people we love in Provo, we've decided to cook a big meal on Tuesday nights, and invite all of our friends. (Hopefully they ALL don't come at once...). Last night was our first Dinner Night and it was quite successful. Mainly successful because our living and dining room were filled with beautiful friends that we've missed the last few weeks. Also successful because I tried out a new recipe and no one got sick. And they seemed to like it. Sometimes I question Martha and her recipes, and I did with this recipe as well, mainly because it had me add whisked eggs to the soup. Eggs in a soup you say? That's right. (I also eat raw cookie dough and I'm fine).

But this soup was a great change from my regular go-to meal, which is anything Tex-Mex. This Chicken and Rice Soup With Lemon was a fresh change to traditionally heavy chicken noodle soup. This soup is light and tangy, and surprisingly filling because of the rice and shredded chicken. It was easy and I think I always have these ingredients on hand, so it will definitely include it into my rotating menu. Quotes of the night included Asher "it's like chicken lemonade" and "I love lemon juice with rice". But I think they were teasing me, because there wasn't a drop left in any bowls!

Chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon
Adapted from Good Food, Jan 2010

15 cups chicken broth (2 qts)
1 glass of water (obviously a few more people came...)
2 chicken breasts
2 cups white long grain rice
5 large eggs
2/3 cup lemon juice, or less if you're scared.
course salt and ground pepper
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of garlic salt

1. In a soup pot of choice, combine broth and chicken; bring brother to a simmer and reduce heat so that liquid is "moving but not simmering". Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 18 minutes. Remove chicken, and shred once it is cooled.

2. Increase heat and bring broth to a simmer, add rice and cook until just tender (15 minutes). (I used boil in a bag rice, which is probably not Martha approved, however it still worked gloriously). Return chicken to pot. In a medium bowl (or in your lovely KitchenAid) whisk in lemon juice. Whisking constantly, slowly pour 1 cup hot broth into egg picture. Immediately whisk egg mixture into pot. Season soup with seasonings. Martha says to serve immediately. I had to wait 45 minutes for someone who will not be named but typically arrives late. And it didn't even turn the soup into scrambled eggs. Still creamy and delicious.