CHICKEN SOUP WITH MATZO BALLS
Why I Love This Recipe
Ingredients You'll Need
1 (4–5 pound) chicken
1 gallon cold water
3 carrots, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
2 onions, quartered
2 cloves garlic, sliced
10 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
salt and cracked black pepper to taste
6 sprigs fresh dill
Directions
Rinse chicken under cold running water. Drain well. Cut into quarters and place in a stockpot. Add all ingredients except salt, pepper and dill. Simmer 2 hours, skimming surface occasionally to remove impurities. Strain soup and cool. Remove chicken and set aside for later use. Refrigerate stock until fat rises to top and can be separated from liquid, preferably overnight. Reserve 3 tablespoons of chicken fat for matzo balls. Once matzo balls are made, bring stock to a simmer. Add matzo balls and cook 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper if necessary. To serve, ladle soup and 1 matzo ball along with poached chicken meat into 6 bowls and garnish each with a sprig of fresh dill. If you prefer not to serve the chicken in soup, consider using it in a chicken salad.
