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.
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.