Lemon and Herb Chicken Stew

Having tried countless recipes for chicken soup, I am always excited to find a new version of the internationally loved homey classic. From Mexican Caldo de Pollo to Thai Tom Kha Gai, the diversity of ingredients and flavors that are combined to accentuate chicken in broth are seemingly limitless. Here, the soup takes inspiration from Greece, with a bright burst of lemon, rosemary, and dill. Rounded out with spinach and potatoes, this soup is as nourishing as it is flavorful.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts

2 celery ribs

½ yellow onion, quartered

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh tarragon

½ teaspoon whole peppercorns

1 bay leaf

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the stew:

¼ cup olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 heaping tablespoon roughly chopped fresh rosemary

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

½ to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 ½ pound Yukon gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes

Zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about ¼ of juice)

1 bunch mature spinach (about 8 ounces), chopped

¼ to 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh dill

Directions:

Place the chicken in a large pot with the celery, ½ onion, thyme, tarragon, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Pour in 6 to 8 cups of water, enough to just cover all the ingredients. Season with a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and continue to simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 to 30 minutes. A thermometer inserted in the chicken should reach 165 degrees. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Pass the cooking liquid through a mesh strainer and discard the solids. You should have about 6 cups of flavorful stock. If you are short, add a little water or store-bought stock to reach the 6-cup mark. Set stock aside.

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, use two forks or your hands to shred the chicken into bite sized pieces. Set chicken aside while you start making the stew.

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering hot, add the onion with a pinch of salt, cooking until translucent and just beginning to lightly brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a few cracks of black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the herbs are very fragrant, and the garlic just starts to take on a little color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the herbs or garlic. Next, add the potatoes, stirring to combine. Add the 6 cups of chicken stock with about half of the lemon juice, raise the heat to high, and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and partially cover with the lid ajar. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are nearly tender, for 15 minutes.

Add the spinach, dill, lemon zest, and the shredded chicken. Bring mixture back to a simmer and continue to cook until the potatoes are tender, about another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt or black pepper as needed. Let the stew rest for a few minutes, then serve in warm bowls with a fresh crack of black pepper on top. Some extra lemon wedges on the table are lovely for passing.

Notes:

If you can only fine boneless chicken breasts, reduce the cooking time in the first step by half, about 12 to 15 minutes. You could also make this dish with leftover chicken, using store-bought chicken stock and skipping the first step. You will want around 3 or 4 cups of shredded leftover chicken meat.

The dill adds a specific fresh herbal flavor to this dish. If you can't find fresh, a couple teaspoons of dried would work in a pinch.

For serving you could crumble feta cheese on top for an extra layer of flavor. I served a simple Greek-style salad of cucumber, tomato, red onion, olives and feta as a side dish. Warm pita bread, or any favorite crusty bread, for dipping is also highly recommended.

Enjoy.