Chicken Meatball Soup Recipe
A healthy, easy chicken meatball soup recipe made with ground chicken, brown rice and a nice flavor kick from fresh ginger in a lime tomato broth. Also known as Sopa de Albondigas in Spanish or Ciorba de Perisoare in Romanian cuisine.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large carrots -diced
- 1 large parsley root -diced
- 1 celery root -diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1/2 green bell pepper diced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper diced
- 1 onion diced
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- 1 lime or lemon juiced + more to taste
- 1/4 c celery leaves roughly chopped
- 2 leaves bay
- 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
- 2 qt water + more as needed
- 3 tbs snipped chives for garnish optional
- sour cream or yogurt for serving
Meatball Ingredients:
- 1 lb organic ground chicken organic dark meat
- 1 slice bread soaked in milk and squeezed well
- 1/2 c quick cook brown rice
- 1/4 c minced parsley
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly cracked
- ⅓ onion grated
- 1 scallion thinly sliced
- 1 egg small
- 3 tbsp ginger root grated
- 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions
- Heat up the olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot. Add the diced onion with a pinch of sea salt and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the diced carrot, parsley root, celery and celery root, together with the bay leaves and give it a good stir. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and the water and bring to a slow simmer. Season with the sea salt. Allow the soup to simmer on very low flame while you prepare the meatballs.
- To make the meatballs combine all the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and shape them into golf ball size. Add them one by one to the soup and bring it back to a simmer before covering with a tight lid. Add the bell peppers and cover with a tight lid. Allow to cook on low flame ( just gentle simmering ) for 20 minutes.
- Remove from flame and without peaking inside allow it to sit for 10 minutes for the rice in the meatballs to cook completely.
- Squeeze in the lemon or lime juice and serve with a dab of sour cream or a drizzle of heavy cream. Sprinkle with celery leaves and snipped chives and a light drizzle of extra virgin olive oil !
Notes
It is very common for these meatballs to be made with ground pork as well, so you do as you please. I would suggest bumping up the ginger If you prefer a more intense flavor.