Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens Recipe (2024)

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Riley A.

Really enjoyed this recipe, perfect for big batches and keeps really well in fridge/ freezer. Lemon zest is listed as optional but without it the soup lacked acidity, so much so that I also added juice from half the zested lemon. Great cold weather meal!

Isabelle

A PHENOMENAL soup that was even approved by my Dad (a master in the kitchen). Changed the following amounts but kept prep the same: - 3 medium carrots- 2 celery stalks- 1 large leek- 3 giant (like, “wait, is this GMO?” large) cloves of garlic- regular sodium chicken brother- Doubled the fennel- Doubled the red pepper flakes- Tripled (maybe quadrupled?) the pepper- Upped the salt to taste- MOST IMPORTANTLY, added a good handful of herb de provenanceEnjoy!

prunefeet

This is DELICIOUS. The only change I made was to use boneless chicken breast because it’s what I had. I would suggest not making this if you don’t want to include the fennel seed and lemon zest. Especially the fennel. It will not taste like fennel or licorice but it adds something magical to the flavor of the broth. I only wish there was more broth. Next to me I will increase quantities of everything except chicken and farro. This is the best thing I’ve eaten in a while, very enthusiastic.

Brooklyn Cook

I doubled the red pepper as someone else suggested and it was too much heat (and I like a lot of heat). Had my own homemade chicken stock on hand, which added to the flavor depth. Used one large chicken breast instead of the thighs, and added juice of half a lemon at the end, along with spinach. Pretty tasty.

Annie

What a lovely stew. COVID cooking meant a used a parsnip for one of the carrots and onion instead of leeks, and it worked fine. I used leftover braised chicken, adding it at the end with the greens and added the braising liquid to bulk up canned stock. My stock was salty, so I didn't add any more. The cooking time for the farro will vary depending on the size of your grains. My farro piccolo cooked in less than 20 minutes, so keep an eye on it. The lemon is not optional, in my opinion.

Emma

Delicious hearty winter soup. I doubled the recipe and added another 4 cup of chicken stock towards the end after adding the kale.I made a big alteration on used chicken apple sausage instead of chicken thighs and put them in before adding the kale. I also added in a zucchini I had on hand that needed to be used.

Jan K.

Enjoyed the soup - a bit spicy (and I love spicy foods) -- I think it's the amount of crushed red pepper. Beware.

fblueher

I just made this soup—-totally followed recipe. It was fantastic and a great foil to watching the super bowl. The fennel is lovely, the farro flavorful, and the greens a vibrant touch. The lemon peel and bit of juice made it pop!!!

Donna M

Really great flavors! I used arborio rice(1/2 cup) instead of farro as I didn't any...diced up some fennel with the veggies and added a good sprinkling of lemon zest when the soup finished cooking. Served with a squeeze of lemon juice and a shower of parmesan and the kids were in heaven!!

Es

Easy and versatile. I loved the crunch of the farro! I used 3 chicken thighs, skin intact, and cut them up for serving. I did not remove the bones. This gives it more flavor. I imagine that to reheat tomorrow the soup will need some water added. Very filling and delicious.

Ross T.

So good! I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great, served with some toasted sourdough. I only left out the red pepper due to small kids. The kids liked it as well, so it was definitely a win. The leftovers were great for lunch too. I have some extra chicken so I’m going to make a second batch!

CG

Good! Used ground turkey, add herbs de province, add lemon zest plus juice of whole lemon, needed 2-3cups extra water in addition to stock

Spacebabe

Loved this, made basically as directed although I used rotisserie chicken (added at the end) and giant couscous in place of farro. Was really delicious, will make again but toast and crush the fennel next time for a bit more oomph.

Narcissa

So in true NYTimes commentator tradition I made this recipe and then changed it and will assert it was absolutely delicious. I'd poached a chicken for chicken salad so I took some of the chicken I didn't use and saved it for this meal. I used onions instead of leeks because that's what I had. I forgot the greens entirely. Added chickpeas, maybe tomatoes--thinking it was the other farro soup. Husband adored it. I did too. It's very forgiving you see. Lemon& garlic essential.

Kathy

I made this for dinner last night. Followed the recipe pretty much except where I used what I had on hand (like chicken breast for the thighs). It was hearty and flavorful. If I make it again I may alter how much fennel I use as that was the dominant flavor.

Cathy

This was very flavorful. I made it in the instant pot. I love Swiss chard so I sautéed the swiss chard stems with the celery so as not to waste anything.

KatieM

This was delicious and I loved the taste of the farro. I doubled the soup to have extra for later and the farro became quite mushy. Next time, I would toast and cook the farro separately from the soup to retain its texture, especially if I am planning to have the soup for more than one meal. It does need a bit more spice.

stefsquared

Amazing! One pot, minimal prep, simple ingredients, and somehow perfect. Great texture & flavor. And did I mention just one pot?

CvilleMel

This was terrific. I increased the veggies and stock, plus added a thinly sliced fennel bulb. Excellent!

Laura Ann

I made this mostly according to the recipe and it was very tasty - a nice departure from my standard chicken noodle. Next time, I'm going to amp up the fennel seed profile by using chicken sausage instead of shredded chicken and will use more broth. Sliced fennel bulb and/or potatoes would make a nice addition or substitution too. This soup will be going into my fall/winter rotation.

CC

I've made this at least 10 times now - as directed and with modifications. My toddler gobbles it up and my husband likes it as long as I lessen the fennel. For those that are fennel averse, I found using the recommended amount worked well as long as I didn't crush it before putting it in the pot. If I crush it, my husband finds it overwhelming and won't eat it. If you do crush it, only use half.

Elaine

Made this with a bunch of chard from the farmer’s market. Followed the recipe except cut the red pepper flakes to 1/4 teaspoon and added a lot of black pepper which we like better. To speed up the process we used canned chicken breast from Costco. After reading comments added juice of 1/2 lemon along with the lemon zest to pot after turning off the burner. Soup was delicious!

philly girl

A winner, even though I didn’t have the greens to add. Still very flavorful. Lemon is a must.

Katie

Delicious!

Helen

A great way to make chicken soup, the combination of the fennel and hot pepper is a delightful change. I put in extra garlic and veggies including a couple parsnips that needed to be used. I added extra broth on the second day. Great leftovers.

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Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you brown chicken before making soup? ›

It's rich and flavorful – Browning the chicken first helps to reinforce the chicken stock, making the finished chicken noodle soup that much more flavorful.

Do you cook the chicken before putting it in soup? ›

Make sure the chicken is adequately heated through to avoid any food safety concerns. Simply shred or chop the cooked chicken and add it to the soup towards the end of the cooking process.

What part of the chicken makes the best soup? ›

The Best Chicken for Soup

Buy bone-in thighs if you can; the bones make the broth even better. (You can use chicken breasts if you like, though I still suggest using bone-in.)

What is the most important ingredient in soup? ›

For clear, brothy soups, stock is your most important ingredient. If you want to make a good soup, you need to use an excellently flavored stock — otherwise, the entire pot could be tasteless.

Does chicken soup taste better the longer you cook it? ›

While broth and stock both get richer and richer the longer you cook them, the problem is that the chicken meat will dry out and get tough if you let it go too long.

Can I put raw chicken in soup? ›

We first make the stock and later add the raw chicken meat to cook near the end of the soup-making process. You could also cook the breast and thigh chicken pieces whole, in the broth, and remove them after 15 minutes of cooking or so, cool them and shred them to be added at service.

Do you leave skin on chicken when making soup? ›

Chicken skin is key to this whole endeavor, Koenig told me. I fretted that it would make the soup greasy and overly rich, but she insisted: “Keep the skin on to maximize your soup's flavor. All of the savory, full-bodied oomph that you expect from a good chicken soup comes from the skin.”

Can I overcook chicken in soup? ›

There is a chance you can still overcook chicken, even in soup! Don't worry, the liquid helps to keep the chicken juicy but it is important to stick to timings. If you are cooking stovetop, be sure to reduce heat to low right when the soup boils so you don't overcook the chicken breast.

Do you use the water you boiled chicken in for soup? ›

And don't throw away the cooking liquid!

This method will make a lightly-flavored chicken broth, which you can use in place of chicken broth for other recipes or as the cooking liquid for rice and other grains. You can also sip it all on its own!

Is it better to cook chicken soup covered or uncovered? ›

Cooking a soup, stew, or sauce uncovered allows water to evaporate, so if your goal is to reduce a sauce or thicken a soup, skip the lid. The longer you cook your dish, the more water that will evaporate and the thicker the liquid becomes—that means the flavors become more concentrated, too.

What thickens chicken soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

You can thicken soup by adding flour, cornstarch, or another starchy substitute.

Why does chicken get rubbery in soup? ›

Overcooking chicken and buying woody chicken breast are two of the main causes behind rubbery chicken. You can stop this from happening by: buying “slow-growing” chicken. cooking your chicken in moisture.

Why is my chicken rubbery in soup? ›

In addition, chicken breast has less fat and can become dry (chewy or rubbery) if cooked for too long. Without moisture, the protein fibers in the chicken become elastic.

What are three qualities of a good soup? ›

A soup's quality is determined by its flavor, appearance and texture. A good soup should be full-flavored, with no off or sour tastes. Flavors from each of the soup's ingre- dients should blend and complement, with no one flavor overpowering another.

What ingredient makes soup taste good? ›

Vinegar – A spoonful of vinegar is a quick fix when you find yourself with a bowl of dull, flat-tasting soup. Just a small amount of acid will brighten up the flavors. 2. Soy Sauce – Soy sauce is another item that's ideal for brightening up and adding depth of flavor to an otherwise dull soup.

What makes soup more flavorful? ›

Go Bold. A punch of flavor at the end of cooking can make your soup a standout. Mix herbs like parsley, thyme, and oregano, or spices such as cumin, coriander, and cardamom, into some olive oil, and let it infuse for at least an hour or two. Pour it over soup just before serving.

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