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.

Jess M

I didn’t have chicken or farro so I used Italian sausage and freekah, which worked out great! The smokiness of the freekah and the extra fennel in the sausage added nice depth of flavor

Annie

Surprisingly flavorful considering the short ingredient list, but the lemon is a must. I just squeezed lemon on top, couldn't be bothered to zest and worked great. Changed I made - 1.5lb of chicken because that was the size packet I had, so upped the broth to 8 cups to take into that account, plus rounded teaspoons of herbs/seasoning. Used two cups frozen mustard greens (again, on hand) and skipped the celery because I don't like it. 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.

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Chicken Soup With Toasted Farro and Greens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you brown chicken before making soup? ›

You could definitely add the raw chicken thighs into the pot once the broth goes in, letting them boil to cook through, and then pull them out and slice them once fully cooked. Either way works just fine, but our preferred method is to sear them ahead of time!

Is it better to make chicken soup with lid on or off? ›

Leaving the lid off will make liquid evaporate faster, potentially creating a thicker and more flavorful soup. Leaving the lid on reduces the rate of evaporation, and it's good when the soup ingredients are done cooking but the broth isn't quite rich (co-mingled) enough for your liking.

When making chicken soup should it be covered? ›

Place the chicken in a 6- to 7-quart soup pot and add the water (it should cover chicken). Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce to a bare simmer and skim foam as it rises to the surface.

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

Yes, it is important to cook chicken before adding it to soup.

Can you put raw chicken in soup and cook it? ›

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.

Is it OK to put raw chicken in soup? ›

You can cook the chicken at a high-enough temperature to kill bacteria by turning up the heat on the broth, but for a much safer and tastier method, brown your chicken first. Browning or searing the chicken in a separate pan is not only far more foolproof, but adds richness and extra umami to your soup.

What not to put in soup? ›

The Worst Things to Put in Your Soup
  1. By Sara Butler. If there's one good thing about fall and winter, it's soup. ...
  2. Heavy Cream. Heavy cream creates an inviting texture for soups but that's where its positive contributions end. ...
  3. Juice. ...
  4. Turkey Bacon. ...
  5. Cheese. ...
  6. Croutons.

Can I let my chicken soup simmer all day? ›

You can simmer the soup all day, which will give you more flavor. But if you're short on time, just a quick simmer to cook the chicken works too! If you have a parmesan rind on hand, adding it in with the chicken really does add nice flavor.

Is stock or broth better for chicken soup? ›

A good broth is the secret to the very best soup, such as chicken soup and beef and barley, while a rich stock is the foundation for superior braises, stews and sauces, including French classics like demi-glace and sauce Espagnole, as well as the very best turkey gravy.

Can you cook chicken soup too long? ›

The chicken is ready as soon as the meat registers 165°F and easily falls off the bone, after about 1 1/2 hours, but you can continue simmering for up to 3 hours for richer flavor — just keep an eye out that the chicken doesn't start to disintegrate or turn the soup cloudy.

What part of chicken is best for soup? ›

For a hearty and flavourful soup, Chicken Thighs or Legs are ideal. The darker meats along with the bones provide a stronger taste compared to white meat (breast), creating a richer broth with plenty of flavour. Add them in along with your broth (or stock) after your soffritto is done.

How do you thicken chicken soup? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

Is it OK to cook raw chicken and vegetables together? ›

Yes, if two raw foods touch that will be cooked to the recommended temperature, the foods will be safe.

How do you know when chicken soup is done? ›

But the solution when simmering a whole chicken for soup is to carve up the chicken before it's completely cooked through. In Molly Baz's Classic Chicken Noodle Soup recipe, she grabs the whole chicken out of the pot once the breasts register 155° F on an instant-read thermometer.

How to make chicken soup without overcooking chicken? ›

Add the chicken and cook on medium heat till chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Do not boil and do not overcook the chicken. If it is slightly underdone when you pull it out, it's fine — the chicken can continue to cook when it's added back to the soup later.

Can you sear chicken before making soup? ›

Browning it first will add significantly to the flavour of the soup. I would use the same pan, and brown the meat with some olive oil, then add sacrificial vegetables and herbs to make a good base for the soup. BUT you'll make a much better chicken soup if you use thigh joints or drumsticks.

Do you need to brown chicken for stock? ›

Sure you can make a nearly-clear, light chicken stock with raw carcass or legs, but roasting the bones intensifies the flavor and gives a beautiful rich color. You can make it with chicken, veal, beef, duck or wild game bones.

Should I brown chicken before cooking? ›

Whether or not to skip browning depends on the cut of chicken and the accompanying ingredients. Bone-in, skin-on chicken is an excellent candidate: The fat, cartilage and bones are flavorful enough to turn water into stock. Boneless, skinless chicken will result in meat that's moist, but in need of some flavor.

How do you clean chicken before soup? ›

Put simply, if you wash raw chicken, you are cross-contaminating your kitchen. Yes, fresh fruit and vegetables should be washed with cold water before preparation, but raw poultry should not. Don't worry: Properly cooking chicken will destroy any pathogens. In fact, it is the only way to destroy those pathogens.

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