Greek Chicken soup (kotosoupa avgolemono)

Ingredients

• 700 gr. chicken breast fillet
• 2.5 liters of water
• 1 chicken cube, preferably with reduced salt (or 1 cube of fresh refrigerator broth)
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 chopped spring onions
• 1 leek, only the white part, sliced
• 2 carrots cut into small cubes
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 sprig of celery and 1/4 cup celery root in small cubes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tbsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 cup (110 g) risotto rice
• 2 tbsp. chopped dill
• Salt-freshly ground pepper
• For the avgolemono
• 2 egg yolks
• juice and zest of 1 1/2 lemons
• Cut the chicken into bite-sized cubes.
• Put 2.5 liters of water, the cube and the chicken in a saucepan over medium to low heat.
• Remove any scum that may form with a ladle.
• Simmer for about 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.
• Strain and keep the broth.
• In a clean saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
• Saute the onion until translucent
• Add the spring onions and leeks and sauté for 3΄.
• Add the carrots and zucchini and sauté for 5΄.
• Add the rice and keep mixing for 1΄. This will make it more viscous.
• Add the hot chicken broth, the celery, celery root, thyme and bay leaf.
• Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 20΄ on low heat with a half-open lid.
• Add the chicken during the last 10’ of cooking.
• Add the dill.
• In a small bowl, beat 2 egg yolks with a hand whisk. Add the juice and lemon zest.
• Take a tablespoonful of the soup and pour it into the bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Repeat this process 5-6 times.
• At the end, pour the avgolemono into the pot, stirring vigorously.
• If necessary, add more pepper and lemon juice.