We know, we know – if you’re feeling the summer heat right now, soup doesn’t sound so appealing. HOWEVER, this is a superbly light and refreshing soup. Lemon and dill lend a lively, summery freshness, farro and carrots add heartiness, and rotisserie chicken makes this soup ridiculously easy. Pita bread stuffed with feta and dill then toasted makes for a perfectly pungently Greek dipper. Fifteen minutes prep time and $12 gets you a truly flavorful, healthful and lower-calorie soup that is delightfully different from the norm.
Farro is a hearty, delicious, and underappreciated grain.
Tip (unsponsored): We find our farro at Trader Joe’s (this package contains just over 1.5 cups farro). We’ve also gotten it at Sprouts.
Have your kids help you juice the lemons, shred some chicken, and tear some dill, taking note of it’s unique aroma. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:
- Lemons contain flavanoids that help kill the free-radicals that can cause bad cholesterol build-up.
- Farro is an “old world grain” that provides even more fiber than quinoa and lots of protein.
- Eating dill can help kill bad bacteria in your body.
Adapted slightly from: Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup farro
- 7 cups chicken STOCK
- 1 wide strip lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler), plus the juice of 2 lemons
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken breast, skin removed
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for topping
- 2 pitas, halved
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the farro and cook, stirring, until toasted, 1 minute. Add the chicken broth; cover and bring to a boil. Add the lemon zest, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken.
- Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl; drizzle ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, whisking constantly. Gradually stir the hot egg mixture into the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Combine the feta and dill in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Fill the pita halves with the feta mixture and lightly brush with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each serving of soup with more dill; season with pepper. Serve with the stuffed pitas.
