| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 35 min |
| Prep: | 30 min |
| Cook: | 1 hr 5 min |
| Yield: | 10 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 (5-pound) roasting chickens
- 3 large yellow onions, unpeeled and quartered
- 6 carrots, unpeeled and halved
- 4 stalks celery with leaves, cut into thirds
- 4 parsnips, unpeeled and cut in half (optional)
- 20 sprigs fresh parsley
- 15 sprigs fresh thyme
- 20 sprigs fresh dill
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled and cut in half crosswise
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 4 cups 1/4-inch-diced carrots
- 4 cups 1/4-inch-diced celery
- 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
- 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
- Matzo Balls, (see recipe)
- 4 extra-large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup good chicken stock
- 1/4 cup rendered chicken fat, melted
- 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for egg whites
- 1 cup matzo meal
Instructions
- Place the chickens, onions, carrots, celery, parsnips, parsley, thyme, dill, garlic, and seasonings in a 16- to 20-quart stockpot. Add 7 quarts of water and bring to a boil. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Remove 2 of the chickens and allow to cool slightly. Remove the breast meat from both chickens and set aside. Return the remaining chicken and carcasses to the pot and continue simmering, uncovered, for 3 more hours. Strain the entire contents of the pot through a colander and chill. Remove the surface fat, then reheat the stock as follows, or pack in containers and freeze.
- To serve the soup, return the stock to the pot and reheat, adding the diced carrots, celery, dill, and parsley. Shred the reserved chicken breast meat into large pieces and add to the stock. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes to cook the vegetables and reheat the chicken. Season, to taste, and serve as is, or ladle each serving over 2 warm Matzo Balls.
- Whisk together the egg yolks, chicken stock, chicken fat, parsley, and salt. Stir in the matzo meal. In the bowl of an electric mixer with a whisk attachment, whip the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they are stiff. Whisk them into the matzo mixture until it is smooth. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes, or until the mixture is thick.
- Form balls the size of golf balls by shaping them with 2 spoons, rolling them with your hands, or scooping them with a small ice cream scoop. Drop them into simmering chicken stock and cook for 30 minutes, or until fully cooked and puffed, turning once. Remove and serve hot in chicken soup.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 1284 |
| Total Fat | 86 g |
| Saturated Fat | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 92 g |
| Cholesterol | 516 mg |
| Sodium | 2016 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 10 servings |
| Calories | 1284 |
| Total Fat | 86 g |
| Saturated Fat | 25 g |
| Carbohydrates | 33 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Protein | 92 g |
| Cholesterol | 516 mg |
| Sodium | 2016 mg |
Reviews
Great flavor. Excellent soup. I like to brown my chicken in the pot first,as it gives the soup a nice golden color.
I love Ina’s chicken broth recipe, which I made a day in advance of making this soup. Preparing the soup was simple enough, as was preparing and making the Matzo balls. Aroma and flavor are amazing.
I k
Just curious. Did you get this recipe from someone Jewish?
Are you making Jewish chicken soup with matzo balls?
If so it would be called Matzo Ball Soup.
Are you making Jewish chicken soup with matzo balls?
If so it would be called Matzo Ball Soup.
Can you freeze the soup with the chicken and vegetables ?
OMG! I didn’t have dill, but had fennel fronds. This was probably the best chicken soup I’ve ever tasted. The seasoning was perfect. The comfort factor was off the charts. Wow.
This soup is amazing! I have made it for the last 7 years or so for Passover as well as other times. My friends and family call it liquid gold. I have adjusted the recipe over time which maximizes the ingredients. I use 2 chickens and since I have a huge pot, I use about 20 cups of water. As the soup cooks, I add more water since so much cooks down. I also sauté the whole chickens in a little olive oil with salt and pepper all over them. After I strain all the ingredients, I re-use them to make a second large pot of soup adding fresh dill and parsley. Yum!
I make chicken stock just like Ina a few times a year. I want to review the matzo balls. Excellent recipe. Mine were light and pillowy. Definitely not hockey pucks. Only change was to use 1/2 cup seltzer water rather than chicken stock.
Rich, delicious broth. I cut the recipe down to using just one chicken. Would definitely make again.
Best chicken soup recipe ever. I freeze small containers and enjoy it every time.